@One More Solo let me measure up that saddle, I might be interested.
Road Cycling
- Thread starter FrenchTart
- Start date
Went out with the club on saturday, my first group ride of the year and due to the cold weather and other stuffs probably only my 3rd in as many months! Ooops! But good to get out, although a bunch of wet & filthy roads. Of the 8 of us who rode the longer route 4 of them had punctures! One guy was so empty on the way back I was volunteered to take him home along the main roads (as he lives my side of town). Considering was deep into 3 hours at that point my legs still felt great, but had been riding fairly conservatory knowing I've not done much over 2 hours recently. So sat on the front, generally holding 19mph on the flat and trying to keep it smooth on the bits of drags sat up tall to give him the best draft I could! Good deed for the week done! 
Sunday went for a bike fit at a local fitter - a guy I've known a long time and recommend to anyone West-Midlands/Borders based!
Really interesting as far more of it (he gave me a 'stage 2') is about flexibility and 'watching' what I was doing on the bike than specifically measuring things (Retul jig). My main reasons for this where to size up what size Tarmac frame to get. I've been riding a 54cm Diverge and a 'M' Giant Contend until now. Knowing I'm 172cm (5'7" in old money) with shortish legs have always felt I can't get 'over' the Diverge much, barely got any bar:saddle drop on it, although I can still be fairly aero. So for a while now I've thought I should be riding a 52cm, or certainly for a more aggressive position road bike. Not according to Matt! He says that I'm spot on for the 54cm and holding a good strong position. Don't even need a shorter stem as I've got good flexibility. He's advised shorter cranks (170) on the new bike for the legs and going for 40cm bars - the shorter cranks really help with hip flex/opening and I've got the flexibility to only ride 2cm of spacers on the Tarmac if I really wanted to (or was racing - can slam my Diverge if I wanted to, but I tend to ride that with 3cm on there). Narrow width bars will also help me and stop me 'reaching' as much, even advised changing my current bars (I'm riding 45's) to 42cm at least as I'll be more comfortable.
Saddle was interesting... Although I'm fairly narrow bodied/shoulders and have ridden standard 143mm Powers, I should be riding a 155cm. He commented it could be what's causing me some saddle/sit bone pain as I'm rocking more than he'd expect but did say the Power is a good saddle for me. Also pulled both of them forwards 2cm (feels massive) and raised the Diverge another 2cm to put me more over it - probably the feeling I've been having. Actually thinks I should get more power from the position and was surprised I hadn't seen any foot pain from being low & back.
One thing he has noted was a slight leg length discrepancy ("a couple of mm"). My cleat position is quite 'straight' and I'm naturally a bit more 'duck footed', which it only really noticed through the left (shorter) leg as my ankle rotation & angles around the top of the pedal stroke is far less than the right leg but did say nothing to worry about. We tried some cleat stack spacers, but measuring me after the knee height difference it was best to avoid trying to correct it (more likely to cause problems). He's given me a bunch of exercises to do to help trying and assist to improve the flexibility!
A wide range like your emtb is just more reliant on your derailleur arm and the spring. If it's got a clutch like some of them, then it's even worse - more torque through the chain so more strain on it! Not to mention the extra torque offroad & hauling your cake weight up slopes you'd lose if you pedalled up there! 
Also interesting, he said if I liked Giro then don't bother with Rapha - as Giro make the shoes for them!
Sunday went for a bike fit at a local fitter - a guy I've known a long time and recommend to anyone West-Midlands/Borders based!
Really interesting as far more of it (he gave me a 'stage 2') is about flexibility and 'watching' what I was doing on the bike than specifically measuring things (Retul jig). My main reasons for this where to size up what size Tarmac frame to get. I've been riding a 54cm Diverge and a 'M' Giant Contend until now. Knowing I'm 172cm (5'7" in old money) with shortish legs have always felt I can't get 'over' the Diverge much, barely got any bar:saddle drop on it, although I can still be fairly aero. So for a while now I've thought I should be riding a 52cm, or certainly for a more aggressive position road bike. Not according to Matt! He says that I'm spot on for the 54cm and holding a good strong position. Don't even need a shorter stem as I've got good flexibility. He's advised shorter cranks (170) on the new bike for the legs and going for 40cm bars - the shorter cranks really help with hip flex/opening and I've got the flexibility to only ride 2cm of spacers on the Tarmac if I really wanted to (or was racing - can slam my Diverge if I wanted to, but I tend to ride that with 3cm on there). Narrow width bars will also help me and stop me 'reaching' as much, even advised changing my current bars (I'm riding 45's) to 42cm at least as I'll be more comfortable.
Saddle was interesting... Although I'm fairly narrow bodied/shoulders and have ridden standard 143mm Powers, I should be riding a 155cm. He commented it could be what's causing me some saddle/sit bone pain as I'm rocking more than he'd expect but did say the Power is a good saddle for me. Also pulled both of them forwards 2cm (feels massive) and raised the Diverge another 2cm to put me more over it - probably the feeling I've been having. Actually thinks I should get more power from the position and was surprised I hadn't seen any foot pain from being low & back.
One thing he has noted was a slight leg length discrepancy ("a couple of mm"). My cleat position is quite 'straight' and I'm naturally a bit more 'duck footed', which it only really noticed through the left (shorter) leg as my ankle rotation & angles around the top of the pedal stroke is far less than the right leg but did say nothing to worry about. We tried some cleat stack spacers, but measuring me after the knee height difference it was best to avoid trying to correct it (more likely to cause problems). He's given me a bunch of exercises to do to help trying and assist to improve the flexibility!
Ooooh what an adventure! Congratulations in advance & good luck! Keep posting back in here how your training is going, really interested in what it takes to prepare for something like that!
Haha, maybe! Fitter has suggested a 'Power Arc' in 155 so I'll probably hunt the Aliexpress version down to try on my turbo bike...
Wouldn't generally trust any 'Pro' rider over a fully trained mechanic! At the end of the day the better they are the less they'll have to do with the bikes they ride - all sponsor driven and team mechanics! But to get there they have to have been into bikes a long time from (usually) a young age so will be very experienced... Some of the worst maintained bikes I've seen thrashed on the roads where 'winter hacks' of domestique Pro riders... Insane amount of mileage so they just wore kit out and replaced it every winter with the team leftovers from the previous season... Most of it heavily scratched from crashes!
Yup exactly that, certainly on road bikes with more and more gears (and not that many massive increases in hub spacing), the wider the cassettes get, the tighter tolerances get, so any slight bend of a hanger/derailleur smack will cause more problems than previous generations!
A wide range like your emtb is just more reliant on your derailleur arm and the spring. If it's got a clutch like some of them, then it's even worse - more torque through the chain so more strain on it! Not to mention the extra torque offroad & hauling your cake weight up slopes you'd lose if you pedalled up there!
They definitely give a good workout, but much of that HR could be you getting excited about getting your trousers dirty!
Glad someone said it as I was about to explode from all the knobblies and dropper posts being mentioned. I mean none of use are Pro enough to use one down the Poggio, but I bet there's a bunch of Dentists with them fitted. Damn you Mohoric!
Yup. At bike fit yesterday although I've got no discomfort, advised me to go for wider shoes next time I'm getting any. Said to try a Lake or Bont, although I don't need a specific 'wide fit' shoe specifically I should have better foot shape in them (using arch inserts but always have) as they're a little wider than what I have. I've got Sidi, Fizik, Giro and Specialized shoes. I don't find any of them uncomfortable, if anything the Giro midrange shoes are the best for the price - similar to the Sidi which cost 3x as much!
Also interesting, he said if I liked Giro then don't bother with Rapha - as Giro make the shoes for them!
Definitely. Spent around 15 mins looking at ankle flexibility and cleat position even though I'd asked to 'only do it if we had time'. Rest of my fit was so quick - as although 6 or 7 years since I had one said I'd got good position on the bike.
Ben, my fitter is great and will fit cleats for free if you buy shoes from him .
hes in Kent/Orpington
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Thanks for this recommendation. I'm currently looking around for someone, and I live in the midlands.
I was close to booking with UKBikeFit in Derby, so will look into this guy now too.
I was also tempted with the highly regarded Phil Burt who's based up in Manchester.
If anyone has had any experience with either of these, I'd appreciate some feedback too.
i was 'stood up' to sharing hotel in Girona and need to find my own place now... this trip is getting more expensive by the minute...
anyone got free accomodation there that is willing to share ?
Do you fancy a 600km warm up to get there? Probably cost you more in food for fueling than a hotel!
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as long as the accomodtion is free...Do you fancy a 600km warm up to get there? Probably cost you more in food for fueling than a hotel!
as long as the accomodtion is free...
If i check if my parents want a lodger then i might be able to knock it down to 500km!
now we are talking
Soldato
- Joined
- 17 Sep 2006
- Posts
- 4,531
- Location
- Gloucestershire
Finally pulled the trigger on some bike insurance. You get a slight discount with Bikmo, being a BC member.
Feels a bit much paying almost 10x my house insurance, just for the bikes. But it's full coverage, with accidental damage too. So peace of mind that if anything happens, I'm covered.
Oh and the continued stupidity of insurance.......
Bikes will be in my shed. Of course checked about gold secure locks/chains etc (mine are actually diamond rated). Asked about the shed shackle being an immovable object, apparently it's not classed as one.
But it doesn't matter, as they do not require any locks on the bike inside the shed. Better than that, it doesn't matter what lock is on the shed itself, just as long as it's locked, then I'm covered.
So essentially all the fine print about rated locks and all that, but as long as my shed is locked, with even a crappy lock, they're still covered. Mad.
Needless to say they will all be locked up with 13mm chains
Feels a bit much paying almost 10x my house insurance, just for the bikes. But it's full coverage, with accidental damage too. So peace of mind that if anything happens, I'm covered.
Oh and the continued stupidity of insurance.......
Bikes will be in my shed. Of course checked about gold secure locks/chains etc (mine are actually diamond rated). Asked about the shed shackle being an immovable object, apparently it's not classed as one.
But it doesn't matter, as they do not require any locks on the bike inside the shed. Better than that, it doesn't matter what lock is on the shed itself, just as long as it's locked, then I'm covered.
So essentially all the fine print about rated locks and all that, but as long as my shed is locked, with even a crappy lock, they're still covered. Mad.
Needless to say they will all be locked up with 13mm chains
@Shadowness I got mine insured with wiggle and i had to send them an image of it secured to the "immovable object" I have an hiplok ankr bolted to my shed floor joist though the floor and got a kyptonite new york mini dlock with the 14mm chain
Finally pulled the trigger on some bike insurance. You get a slight discount with Bikmo, being a BC member.
Feels a bit much paying almost 10x my house insurance, just for the bikes. But it's full coverage, with accidental damage too. So peace of mind that if anything happens, I'm covered.
Oh and the continued stupidity of insurance.......
Bikes will be in my shed. Of course checked about gold secure locks/chains etc (mine are actually diamond rated). Asked about the shed shackle being an immovable object, apparently it's not classed as one.
But it doesn't matter, as they do not require any locks on the bike inside the shed. Better than that, it doesn't matter what lock is on the shed itself, just as long as it's locked, then I'm covered.
So essentially all the fine print about rated locks and all that, but as long as my shed is locked, with even a crappy lock, they're still covered. Mad.
Needless to say they will all be locked up with 13mm chains
Last time I had bike insurance it was expensive and all they wanted was a real beefy padlock on the shed and a beefy mortice for the padlock to attach to. Didn't care that the shed was made out of balsa wood or that you could rip the doors off completely with your hands. Just had to have that visual deterrent.
Soldato
- Joined
- 17 Sep 2006
- Posts
- 4,531
- Location
- Gloucestershire
Yep that's what it seems to be here.
Wording:
Theft from your home, unless:
• the cycle is locked through the frame with an approved lock and secured in a cycle hangar or to an immovable object;
• the items are under your personal supervision; or
• the normal security protections in your home, hall of residence, lockable outbuildings, shed, holiday home, hotel or guest house, are in operation and the theft arises from forcible and violent entry.
'normal security protections' seems a bit vague. But a general lock suffices apparently.
Also seems odd that point 1 doesn't apply, if point 3 is being followed.
Out of interest, how do people follow training plans without a turbo?
I was looking through a Garmin plan and it has a base period of cycling around 160w for up to 2 hours, yet due to all the hills around here i'm usually either >240 or <100w as i coast downhills. Same with intervals. There's no point hitting a recovery interval just as you come to an 8% climb!
There's also the issue i've posted about previously where Garmin tells me my FTP is 280w which it definitely isn't. The main issue being my legs are the limiting factor so because i have decent cardio endurance from my running days, my HR can be quite low in Z2 but watts around 200w for an hour.
This seems to make Garmin think "hmmm if he HR is 150 at 200w, then if he pushes himself to 180bpm for an hour he could put out 280w" when it's not actually scalable.
I've tried manually setting it a few times, but it just prompts Garmin to tell me i have a new FTP every ride!
I was looking through a Garmin plan and it has a base period of cycling around 160w for up to 2 hours, yet due to all the hills around here i'm usually either >240 or <100w as i coast downhills. Same with intervals. There's no point hitting a recovery interval just as you come to an 8% climb!
There's also the issue i've posted about previously where Garmin tells me my FTP is 280w which it definitely isn't. The main issue being my legs are the limiting factor so because i have decent cardio endurance from my running days, my HR can be quite low in Z2 but watts around 200w for an hour.
This seems to make Garmin think "hmmm if he HR is 150 at 200w, then if he pushes himself to 180bpm for an hour he could put out 280w" when it's not actually scalable.
I've tried manually setting it a few times, but it just prompts Garmin to tell me i have a new FTP every ride!
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Haha i didn't even think i was showing off on that post!
I actually watched that video which gave me the thought, the main issues were the long base sessions he was being given. Unlike him, i don't have the ability to fly up hills at 140w by spinning in an easy gear. At over 100kg ever little hill is an effort!
Not heard of Quoc before, where did they come from?
Matt is very good, but his location although good for west mids is still also a 'bit in the middle' from lots of other places. He's between Hereford and Worcester, so fairly easy from the M5 if you're quick to get to and are south/Worcester, but the main road north-south being the A49 from Shropshire then he's a little more tricky to get to if you're from the North.
I've got friends in Bridgenorth/Oswestry and Stourbridge who I'd trust their recommendations of a fitter if you want me to? Where abouts are you based? Andy Turner could be a good person to ask, he's an ex- domestic Pro (very good rider!) now doing Coaching, originally from south of Hereford (Ross) but think he's living and working in Kidderminster at the moment. He would know what good fitters are around most of the midlands, drop him a message - https://atpperformance.uk/meet-the-coaches/
Surely if you've got no accommodation then why are you tied in to Girona?
Pretty much how insurance works... Providing you've taken reasonable steps to secure things then you should be covered. All the 'Silver rated' and such on locks is generally not for insurance purposes. It's to sell more locks!
I don't. Even with a turbo and the spare time I struggled to follow one!