Road Cycling

@Saytan

Personally I find once it's above 165mm ish the frame starts looking awkward. This isn't a problem for people buying 56 or below for the most part. I'm at a height of cross over frame sizes just above this. There's hardly any exceptions even with spacers removed.

@AndyCr15

It's pretty standard measurements as there is flexibility, just as long as they produce a large 56, a 57 or a small 58. You're right about frameset, problem is then cost.

@PikeyPriest

4iiii left side. 6.2k and they supply the exact same frameset with 172.5 plus power meter on all the mediums. Nope, sell your cranks and power meter and rebuy at extra cost. Then you're thinking, why am I buying this bike again that's taken them two plus years to revise the seatpost clamp area and shadow release it. Whole point of waiting was to avoid 3d printed insert.
 
good old aesthetics, making these things harder since the dawn of time

Orbea orca aero is 391/562 with a 163mm headtube in size 55. Orbea are pretty good for customisation stuff too.
 
Drollic said:
It's pretty standard measurements as there is flexibility, just as long as they produce a large 56, a 57 or a small 58. You're right about frameset, problem is then cost.
Click to expand...
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying you should or shouldn't be looking for things to that detail, I've just never heard anyone talk more than "Yeah, I need a 56". I guess I only commented as your point seemed to be that it was not very specific... I was just saying I've never in my life heard anyone asking for a bike in such a specific way. Mind you, it's not like I hang around with anyone other than 60 year old weekend cyclists... which might also explain that :cry:
 
Saytan said:
good old aesthetics, making these things harder since the dawn of time

Orbea orca aero is 391/562 with a 163mm headtube in size 55. Orbea are pretty good for customisation stuff too.
Click to expand...

No go sadly. 55 is with 100/400 bars/stem and 57 is with 110/420. On the 55 I'd need 120 but want 400. That's a spec change plus an option they probably don't even make, atleast for the public. Wheels are dated and for smooth tarmac (not uk roads) 19mm inner with sub 27mm outer. I'd happily ride them on good quality roads setup 25mm - we don't have that. A 28mm on those would be well over the outer width.

AndyCr15 said:
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying you should or shouldn't be looking for things to that detail, I've just never heard anyone talk more than "Yeah, I need a 56". I guess I only commented as your point seemed to be that it was not very specific... I was just saying I've never in my life heard anyone asking for a bike in such a specific way. Mind you, it's not like I hang around with anyone other than 60 year old weekend cyclists... which might also explain that :cry:
Click to expand...

I used to think it didn't matter much then I spent more and more time on the bike and realised it's everything. Once you're into high mileages at 5-6 times a week you can start to see your own weak links (back, neck, shoulders, hips, knees, feet, core etc). Spending quite a large sum of money on a bike and you expect to have things the way you want them, especially now lots of bars and stems are integrated, carbon and expensive. I know I mentioned it above but when you throw in aesthetics as well, it's awkward. It's 2023 and Giant are making upper tier new model Propels in purple only for instance... another example is Bianchi and their new model - gloss black carbon wheels :D

I think so far I've looked at:

Canyon (revised Aeroad), Trek (new Madone), Scott (new Foil), Factor (Ostro), Cervelo (s5), Giant (new Propel) , Specialized (Sl7), Bianchi (new Oltre), Wilier (Filante), Look (new Blade), Orbea (Orca Aero), Ribble (Ultra Slr), Cube (Litening), Lapierre (Aircode), Cannondale (both), Merida (Reacto), BMC (both), 3T (new strada), Felt (Ar), Rose (new Xlite) Basso (various), Focus (Izalco - upper tier models with low tier DT Swiss wheels by the way), Ridley (Noah), Dolan (aero model), Handsling (aero model), Vitus (aero model).

Not bothered with Colnago nor Pinarello. Probably one or two I've missed as well. Should add I'm not a brand snobb either as you can tell from the list.

Edit - Tempted to go second hand but then you risk carbon damage that's incredibly minor you can't even see nor feel initially. Then there is the problem of over torqued bolts, bottom bracket area, seatclamp post area etc.

I'd buy an Ostro in the exact spec if I could - it's 9k though partly all due to import fees as the UK retailer just bumps the price. US I think spending around 6.8-7.5 for same spec. I'd also buy a S-Works Roubaix Team edition if they made a 58 which would actually be a 57cm. The 57 (56) is too small, and the 59 (58) is a fraction big plus looks awkward. They're really fast bikes on the right roads over longer distances as they're so comfortable. There's also Trek Domanes in H1.5 pro fit to take down the headtube much like the Roubaix - too expensive but again amazing for UK roads.
 
Last edited:
Drollic said:
55 is with 100/400 bars/stem and 57 is with 110/420. On the 55 I'd need 120 but want 400.
Click to expand...

i keep forgetting that bars and stem are a single unit on new stuff now. How annoying.

i was talking to a couple of my spannering mates the other day and we were all bemoaning how bikes now are increasingly integrated systems, often at the expense of the rider. But we're old and still remember the days when manufacturers would put an ultegra rear mech on a 105 bike for marketing purposes.
 
Last edited:
Saytan said:
i keep forgetting that bars and stem are a single unit on new stuff now. How annoying.

i was talking to a couple of my spannering mates the other day and we were all bemoaning how bikes now are increasingly integrated systems, often at the expense of the rider. But we're old and still remember the days when manufacturers would put an ultegra rear mech on a 105 bike for marketing purposes.
Click to expand...

As above, I'd of already ordered the latest Rose Xlite if the integrated option wasn't 100/420, which is just stupid. Message them and get no response. Yesterday I looked into contacting them at request - first telephone appointment, 4th July. Yes, it's rare now to see miss-matched spec.
 
I managed my longest cycle on Friday along the Comber Greenway here in Belfast. It was nice route although the small of my back is aching still. I guess a bit fit is really needed.

Do we have an OCUK Strava cycling club? Similar to the running club.
 
Blackvault said:
I managed my longest cycle on Friday along the Comber Greenway here in Belfast. It was nice route although the small of my back is aching still. I guess a bit fit is really needed.

Do we have an OCUK Strava cycling club? Similar to the running club.
Click to expand...
We do indeed.

www.strava.com

OcUK - Overclockers UK

List of forum usernames + strava usernames here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15vvFRANiDpC0pY77oxWWkylrRYAwCwZ_6Lrpjv_YZAQ/edit#gid=0 Post your name+forum username in the discussion below if you want to be added to the list.
www.strava.com www.strava.com
 
Drollic said:
Edit - Tempted to go second hand but then you risk carbon damage that's incredibly minor you can't even see nor feel initially. Then there is the problem of over torqued bolts, bottom bracket area, seatclamp post area etc.
Click to expand...
I'd be tempted to go second hand but then again I havn't got thousands to spend on a bike that won't make me any better than a £2k one.
I see quite a few Trek Madones at cafe's and that looks a cool bike. Sexy purple Madone
 
Had a good ride on saturday, usual social club down south riding the Isle of Wight so I headed north with another (pretty slow) group (GTCC). Was a good chatty pace, coffee + cake stop and met up with another friend who'd moved house and did a couple more real hills with him before meeting my family in Ludlow at the In-Laws. Was going to do Clee Hill, but noticed some hydraulic fluid leaking at my bars on the first climb so decided to play it safe with very little of a rear brake for any descents... Good excuse, but front pads did start to smell on the descent down to Ludlow! Had a good legs so was good to stretch them, but not climbs I knew so kept it social and waited up for Steve each time I left him. So one of the ascents of 'Goggin' (with the aptly named 'Kill Horse Lane' at the top haha) and Whitcliffe crossed off (great to see Ben Healy has the KOM for that one!). :D

Random one... But anyone with any experience on playing around with rubber hoods on Shimano shifters. Mine are terrible to 'hold down'. Needing to flip them up for filling hydraulic fluid and I don't know if it's the warmer weather or something, but the rubbery inserts which push into the shifter bodies just won't stay in... Now the one of them has a nice coating of fluid - it's even worse! :rolleyes::cry:

Nutty_Death said:
I find adjusting indexing simpler on mechanical than di2.
Bit of a faf having to use the app to set limits but I guess it's considered more intuitive since it guides you through it. I just prefer the feel of adjusting till it changes gear and then backing off.

The bettershifting guides are great!

Had to refit my front derailleur and the guides really helped me understand all the adjustments I can make with height, twist and then limits.
Click to expand...
I've not used the app to set limits, I don't even have the wireless port - yet! Came close on the weekend, on the 'bay they go for £20-25 but someone yesterday was prepared to pay over 40 for one I'd been watching a few days, just to annoy and spite me! Pffft! :rolleyes:

AndyCr15 said:
Tbf, I honestly don't think I've ever seen or heard so many provisos :cry:

I don't know enough about all you said, but I was looking at Ribble a few months back and they would let me have whatever gearing I wanted? I think the same for the crank... also choose your own wheels etc? It seemed a great option for customisation.

It strikes me if you want something super specific, is it not better to find the frame, then get your LBS to build the bike around that?
Click to expand...
This. Certainly if you have that number of requirements you're being quite specific @Drollic ! It's probably well within the realms of a Bike Fitter - much of their work is fitting frames to people, so the wealth of knowledge they have is not just on measuring you, but on telling you what specific frames fit you for the right geometry (you pretty much have all the measurements they would make to filter whatever systems/databases they use!) :)
 
Last edited:
@Roady

There's probably only a few fitters in the country I'd trust. Seen a few before over the years, plus for saddle fits and saddle pressure mapping twice (Spec concept store - Retul, Sigma Sports etc they're well qualified and attending the same kind of stuff people like Phil Burt does). None spotted a short right leg mostly in the femur. We're talking 9-11mm. Very lucky not to have injured myself badly. It did cause enough imbalance not to be able to walk properly and loose all sense of symmetry. Hips overtaking each other incorrectly. Drifting to one side etc. A&E for saddle sores (numerous sores, only A&E once - they can also switch sides as below to further confuse you) as they were worried about infection into the blood - they wouldn't lance it either. It's no doubt caused excess wear to my left knee and right hip joint. Lost huge amounts of fitness thanks to people that just don't have a clue what they're doing. I won't name anyone, but one said I needed a wider saddle for sitbone support as it was partially floating. Whilst this can be true if you've got wide hips and an upright position on something like a 130, mine was due to varying amounts of rotation depending on my hours from a short leg.

Just as a side to that, if anyone here is riding and notices some kind of strange asymmetrical pattern (however minor) in their pedalling technique, legs, feet, reach, how bib shorts are positioned on the legs and at the seam on the rear, power output between legs, weighting on the hoods through the wrist amongst a huge list of other things then you likely won't be sitting correctly, it's just a question of why and by how much. Your hips will move (if you have cleats, likely worse with less float) and you will already be building up imbalances. The more you ride the worse the imbalance will get. Your body will adapt incorrectly and when it can no longer cope with the adaptions, you will find it goes more to wanting to be symmetrical like the bike when you aren't. This is when you can really hurt yourself and long term. The first stage where you're building up the imbalances can take years and your body will be good at adapting wrongly. A lot of people don't go beyond this stage of incorrect adaption as it's small and the body can cope, but it's still not ideal. When it has finished adapting wrongly and can't any longer, the next stage happens much much faster. Your body will also good at hiding it like in my case (same for most people who haven't previously suffered injury, have disease etc). It's difficult to figure out the why's because of the body adapting wrongly and eventually reversing to be right as per the bike, but still wrong for you. The corrections may also feel wrong even when they're correct as you've become adapted incorrectly. Spending this much and I want it (the geo amongst other things) to be right as I'm well aware of how bad things can get if it isn't and you ride a lot. Geo and fit (mainly the cleats) is everything. I never used to think much of it either.

E - I'd ride a winspace frame if the geo was right and the graphics didn't look like they were done in ms word :D
 
Last edited:
New ultegra di2 is fantastic so far. Even installing it is generally a breeze. The new brake bleed system is way better than before. Such a simple change but it makes all the difference. 2.5mm cap for the reservoir instead of a 2mm allen. Wireless shifters avoid the faff on the front end. The etube app makes indexing super easy and doing the internal cable routing wasn't very hard either. Biggest faff was the internal hydraulic lines and routing through the aero bars.

As to the actual functionality, its sublime. Best gear changes I have had and slightly better than when my previous groupset was dialled in to perfection. Hopefully after my first proper ride I will still have the same opinion of it. New hoods are a marked improvement over previous generation dura ace as well.
 
fez said:
New ultegra di2 is fantastic so far. Even installing it is generally a breeze. The new brake bleed system is way better than before. Such a simple change but it makes all the difference. 2.5mm cap for the reservoir instead of a 2mm allen. Wireless shifters avoid the faff on the front end. The etube app makes indexing super easy and doing the internal cable routing wasn't very hard either. Biggest faff was the internal hydraulic lines and routing through the aero bars.

As to the actual functionality, its sublime. Best gear changes I have had and slightly better than when my previous groupset was dialled in to perfection. Hopefully after my first proper ride I will still have the same opinion of it. New hoods are a marked improvement over previous generation dura ace as well.
Click to expand...
How did you find indexing the rear derailleur?

For me there was a massive range where it seemed to shift well so even though there's no problem it just didn't feel precise.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom