Soldato
- Joined
- 17 Sep 2006
- Posts
- 4,523
- Location
- Gloucestershire
Road Cycling
- Thread starter FrenchTart
- Start date
Clue is in the name
And you look cooler of course
80-100 for a jersey is hardly core in my view
to be fair, I got two aliexpress jerseys for £6 each.. they're okay 
I've never had any issues with Rapha shorts I've owned from new. I take care of my washes (non-bio and only a 'hand wash' 25-30 degree wash), but the bobbling (elastic in the fabric) when it starts to go tends to spread. Almost like the fabric reaches a 'point of failure' caused by something like age, UV exposure, temperature or stretch. That only tends to be true of the 'Core'. One of my Winter pairs has a 'bobble' but it doesn't seem to be spreading. But will admit that's my own experience - I 'only' own Core (around 12+ pairs?), Pro team (2), Classic (1) and 'Winter' (5-6). How many here own 20 pairs of Rapha shorts?! 
For summer shorts I now only own 4 other pairs from other brands (1 NoPinz, 1 Assos, 1 Sportful & 1 Endura). Really I'm at the point the wide pads of the Core just suit me so much better than anything else...
I only own 7 Rapha jerseys and 1 of them is Core & quite old but doesn't do the same thing. Fairly sure it's the fabric used in the Core shorts that is particularly susceptible to it (so I've become a self proclaimed expert on the subject).
For summer shorts I now only own 4 other pairs from other brands (1 NoPinz, 1 Assos, 1 Sportful & 1 Endura). Really I'm at the point the wide pads of the Core just suit me so much better than anything else...
I only own 7 Rapha jerseys and 1 of them is Core & quite old but doesn't do the same thing. Fairly sure it's the fabric used in the Core shorts that is particularly susceptible to it (so I've become a self proclaimed expert on the subject).
Mind you, they’ve recently refreshed their lineup.. and that’s where the quality issues come from apparently. Looking at reviews. I’ve only got one rapha jersey in the brightest pink but that’s it.I've never had any issues with Rapha shorts I've owned from new. I take care of my washes (non-bio and only a 'hand wash' 25-30 degree wash), but the bobbling (elastic in the fabric) when it starts to go tends to spread. Almost like the fabric reaches a 'point of failure' caused by something like age, UV exposure, temperature or stretch. That only tends to be true of the 'Core'. One of my Winter pairs has a 'bobble' but it doesn't seem to be spreading. But will admit that's my own experience - I 'only' own Core (around 12+ pairs?), Pro team (2), Classic (1) and 'Winter' (5-6). How many here own 20 pairs of Rapha shorts?!
For summer shorts I now only own 4 other pairs from other brands (1 NoPinz, 1 Assos, 1 Sportful & 1 Endura). Really I'm at the point the wide pads of the Core just suit me so much better than anything else...
I only own 7 Rapha jerseys and 1 of them is Core & quite old but doesn't do the same thing. Fairly sure it's the fabric used in the Core shorts that is particularly susceptible to it (so I've become a self proclaimed expert on the subject).
Soldato
- Joined
- 18 Oct 2002
- Posts
- 7,075
- Location
- Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Still considering whether to get a new bike to replace my now nearly 20 year old Cannondale Synapse ..
More often I'm coming across routes that are not paved which isn't fun on 25mm tyres, modern road bikes seem to have much more clearance now so 30mm+ I presume would be a lot better on those surfaces, or does it make more sense to directly go for a gravel bike (pretty sure last time I bought a bike, this category didn't even exist)
More often I'm coming across routes that are not paved which isn't fun on 25mm tyres, modern road bikes seem to have much more clearance now so 30mm+ I presume would be a lot better on those surfaces, or does it make more sense to directly go for a gravel bike (pretty sure last time I bought a bike, this category didn't even exist
)
Still considering whether to get a new bike to replace my now nearly 20 year old Cannondale Synapse ..
More often I'm coming across routes that are not paved which isn't fun on 25mm tyres, modern road bikes seem to have much more clearance now so 30mm+ I presume would be a lot better on those surfaces, or does it make more sense to directly go for a gravel bike (pretty sure last time I bought a bike, this category didn't even exist
Depends. Are you actually hitting unpaved roads or just the usual british ***** that we consider acceptable now. Funnily enough so of the bits of road they have resurfaced around me are ******* awful. Slow, not level with the surrounding surface and lumpy. Its embarrassing that they are allowed to get away with it. Someone should be inspecting newly laid surface and saying "do that again and don't let you 5 year old run the crew this time".
A modern endurance road bike will probably take 35mm+ tyres which will be fine for almost everything you would want to cover. There are some bits of road around me that are so bad that even a gravel bike wouldn't be the right bike for it. In those cases though you just have to pick your way through it via the "better" bits.
I have a gravel bike but I am considering selling it as honestly, gravel really isn't a big thing around my area. You would almost always be better off with either a MTB or a road bike. I am also slowly but surely working on getting an e-cargo bike to take my nippers around on to avoid getting a second car. The sale of the gravel bike would contribute to that.
went out with wife for a short ride yesterday - she's still very much finding her feet on road and bikes so she's a bit shaky, a bit bad at positioning etc.. I just sit behind her and try my best to keep muppets away.
but yesterday was insane, a guy pulled up behind us quite close and as soon as he got "stuck" behind us I could hear him scream in his car, all kinds of slurs - windows up etc and I could still hear him call us c words, to get done etc.
She then had a bit of a shaky point where her satnav was flaky and she didn't turn in when I indicated, that completely tipped the muppet over the edge I thought he was going to ram us, he was full foaming at that point, i told her to pull over to the side and let him past as the 20 seconds he's spent behind us is too much for him.
why do people like this drive in general? if you can't handle another road user you shouldn't be on the road. Insane. I can't understand the hate cyclists get on road.
anyway.. rant over.
but yesterday was insane, a guy pulled up behind us quite close and as soon as he got "stuck" behind us I could hear him scream in his car, all kinds of slurs - windows up etc and I could still hear him call us c words, to get done etc.
She then had a bit of a shaky point where her satnav was flaky and she didn't turn in when I indicated, that completely tipped the muppet over the edge I thought he was going to ram us, he was full foaming at that point, i told her to pull over to the side and let him past as the 20 seconds he's spent behind us is too much for him.
why do people like this drive in general? if you can't handle another road user you shouldn't be on the road. Insane. I can't understand the hate cyclists get on road.
anyway.. rant over.
Last edited:
Sorry that happened to you and your wife. I had a similar experience a few years back with my partner and some ***** shouting something. Fortunately I've got a loud voice and always happy to give it back so he got many expletives chucked at him through his window but from that my partner still doesn't like riding on the road with traffic.
I genuinely believe in order to get a car driving license you should be forced to ride a pushbike on the road for X months and then be forced to complete at least a CBT so you are able to see what it feels like being on a pushbike and motorcycle on the road. Everyone is too comfortable in their 1+ tonne safety cages and forget that there are actual squishy humans on the roads they also use and have every right to be there.
I genuinely believe in order to get a car driving license you should be forced to ride a pushbike on the road for X months and then be forced to complete at least a CBT so you are able to see what it feels like being on a pushbike and motorcycle on the road. Everyone is too comfortable in their 1+ tonne safety cages and forget that there are actual squishy humans on the roads they also use and have every right to be there.
yup, shes already told me she doesn't want to cycle on that road again - I try to avoid it as much as I can but it's one of those roads that I need to use to get out of town, yet there's always someone on it. I hope it doesn't put her off cycling completely but she wasn't too happy all in and asked me if we can just use the other route, funny enough a busier road but for some reason people behave better or we just got lucky and not had anyone as bad as this.
I totally agree, how else will you understand how vulnerable users on the road feel? A few hours on a bike should be a must, it really changes peoples point of view. I know it made me a better driver.
on top of it, he had a motorcycle on a trailer behind him..
It's funny (well, it's not, but you know what I mean) I usually don't see too many, but maybe yesterday was a day for it as we had two really close calls with people being d*cks. One, we entered a roundabout to go right, in the right lane, (three exits/entrances in all. Ours, straight and right) and someone merged from the straight ahead position and proceded to go round the outside (or is that the inside) of the guy behind me, so as he signalled and tried to exit, he was almost hit by them. Unfortunately, on this occasion it was us shouting the obscenities. Well, tbf I was only shouting 'Learn to drive, you idiot' which I don't think is too bad, given the situation.
The second one, we were approaching parked cars in our side, I was at the back of four of us, the first two were moving out to go round the cars with a car coming towards us, plenty of room... but I could hear a car behind accelerating still. I shouted 'car back' as loud as I could, the car came by me and luckily I'd started to brake and he broke hard and dove in between me and the 3rd bike. I was worried he was some nut job to the point I took my phone out and took a photo just in case we needed this guys registration.
Last edited:
Soldato
- Joined
- 18 Oct 2002
- Posts
- 7,075
- Location
- Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
I live in Netherlands, don't have any complaints about the road conditions here .. I don't really pre plan too much and tend to follow the Fietsknooppunten .. now if I hit something that isn't paved I'll just U-turn and go a different way .. sometimes it's manageable on 25mm tyres if it's a short distance but not very pleasant at all. Planning to do some bike packing later this year (or next, see what happens), probably useful to have something a bit more versatile (plus it's nice to have something new lol)
Existing bike even though old is pretty decent still to be fair - but 105 rim brakes suck, especially in the wet. I'm not far off 100kg which probably doesn't help!
If you're going to go bike packing then yeah, get yourself a gravel bike and make sure its got lots of attachments points if you are going to be taking a lot of crap with you.
For most of us, our speed means that a gravel bike won't be that much slower on the roads anyway. You can stick some 35mm tyres on it for road use and either get a second set of wheels or just change out the tyres if your bikepacking is more off road.
Dug myself into a big of a fatigue hole last Thursday riding 2 Zwift TTT's and was pretty fragile and slow on friday. I'd originally not intended to ride saturday as needing to be in work, but that was cancelled and I last minute headed out on the club social. So my heavier week also ended up being a bigger week. A good test and bump to fitness anyway.
Lots of riders out (14 vs 5 last week!) but the usual lead not there, someone else took us on a fairly quick mostly flat A road loop (yes nearly 400m ascent in 50km is 'flat'...) Not normally one we'd do as roads can be busy with traffic. It wasn't too bad for that, but with a block headwind heading West, my legs felt good enough to do a bunch of work. Intended to have an easy ride back with tailwind in the wheels... Nope! Legs where flying. So much, 3 of us waved the group off and did some longer efforts. One pause to regroup and decided just to do it all the way back down the 'Golden Valley'. 5 riders, mostly 2 of us pulling with a cross tailwind. Really good to stretch the legs and give them a good test! Back to town at 10:50 and probably an hour earlier than expected. Should maybe have gone for another loop then but lots of things to do at home (not to mention needing to go back west into the headwinds to get there). Spent 3 hours cutting firewood with the chainsaw. Then 7 hours yesterday mostly up a ladder or bending over. My hamstrings are WRECKED!
Was glad to get back to work and sit on my arse all day today!
Anyone else think CyclingMikey really gone too far this time? Got quite bored of him the last few months, I mean maybe not bored of what he's doing but got quite clickbaity and just the amount of backlash he was getting very tiresome. Draws the trolls out, but what does that do these days. Nothing. If anything the media coverage encourages more and makes drivers even worse. Catching drivers sat in traffic on their phones around here is the least of my worries and not something I'd bother with (can catch and do catch them regularly doing 'worse'). I feel until the law actually changes and government actually 'earn money' from finding these drivers at fault we don't gain much. But that's the thing isn't it - if it was profitable for Police/enforcement to catch them (seriously can't parking attendants do this job too) I think the story would be very different. Maybe we should be pushing for that - reinvest the funds into the road infrastructure. Make the roads a better place from those at fault for disregarding the rules, not just feeding hate.
Totally get where you're coming from - even an 'Endurance' or 'All-road' bike will have a lot more clearance and capability than your old bike. A gravel bike might be too much - but got my 2016 Specialized Diverge and ride it as an endurance/all-road/winter/commuter and love it. It wasn't even a 'gravel bike' back then, the term coming in shortly after I got it. Think it was an 'Off Road drop bar' bike then. But will fit 35mm up front, 40mm on the rear. I've basically used that clearance to fit some good fixed guards to it, did ride 32mm under them but pretty tight (actually clogged them up with mud a couple of times). 28mm's fit easily, so should swallow the 30mm with some adjusting.
But fundamentally we are seeing the roads geadually improve around here so it is working. But also seeing a lot more 'surface dressing' going on here now - is everyone else the same? Main roads fairly good, more minor B roads getting horrible 'chip & seal' going down on otherwise fairly good roads which didn't really need it. Yes they're repairing the worst parts pretty well, but then surface dressing otherwise good roads with the excuse to 'extend the life of them' - which makes them god awful for cycling on for 12+ months until the stuff has got ground in and worn off enough to make it smooth for the next 2-3 years and they'll do it again. GAH
Lots of riders out (14 vs 5 last week!) but the usual lead not there, someone else took us on a fairly quick mostly flat A road loop (yes nearly 400m ascent in 50km is 'flat'...) Not normally one we'd do as roads can be busy with traffic. It wasn't too bad for that, but with a block headwind heading West, my legs felt good enough to do a bunch of work. Intended to have an easy ride back with tailwind in the wheels... Nope! Legs where flying. So much, 3 of us waved the group off and did some longer efforts. One pause to regroup and decided just to do it all the way back down the 'Golden Valley'. 5 riders, mostly 2 of us pulling with a cross tailwind. Really good to stretch the legs and give them a good test! Back to town at 10:50 and probably an hour earlier than expected. Should maybe have gone for another loop then but lots of things to do at home (not to mention needing to go back west into the headwinds to get there). Spent 3 hours cutting firewood with the chainsaw. Then 7 hours yesterday mostly up a ladder or bending over. My hamstrings are WRECKED!
Was glad to get back to work and sit on my arse all day today!
Anyone else think CyclingMikey really gone too far this time? Got quite bored of him the last few months, I mean maybe not bored of what he's doing but got quite clickbaity and just the amount of backlash he was getting very tiresome. Draws the trolls out, but what does that do these days. Nothing. If anything the media coverage encourages more and makes drivers even worse. Catching drivers sat in traffic on their phones around here is the least of my worries and not something I'd bother with (can catch and do catch them regularly doing 'worse'). I feel until the law actually changes and government actually 'earn money' from finding these drivers at fault we don't gain much. But that's the thing isn't it - if it was profitable for Police/enforcement to catch them (seriously can't parking attendants do this job too) I think the story would be very different. Maybe we should be pushing for that - reinvest the funds into the road infrastructure. Make the roads a better place from those at fault for disregarding the rules, not just feeding hate.
Yeah, not sure I've bought anything 'new' except Core 1 shorts the last couple of years. The Core 2 came out priced the same as the Core 1 but now sales on various size/colour combinations of the Core 1 and I don't even even the Core 2 listed anymore...?!
The change from 25-28 is pretty big, so going 25-30mm would be pretty huge. I went from racey 28 to tough/big endurance 32 and found them a bit too big. Uninspiring and a bit 'boaty', but supremely comfortable. I've ridden 28's since then but do have a set of Conti GP5000 STR 30mm I'm intending to move to for winter (just trying to get a decent amount of wear on last 28mm I bought - Vittorias Rubino). Actually picked up a leaky hole on the Vittorias last week, sealant mostly held but then a few days afterwards the front was flat too. Probably just sealant ageing quickly in the heat, but might be their time has finally come!More often I'm coming across routes that are not paved which isn't fun on 25mm tyres, modern road bikes seem to have much more clearance now so 30mm+ I presume would be a lot better on those surfaces, or does it make more sense to directly go for a gravel bike (pretty sure last time I bought a bike, this category didn't even exist
Totally get where you're coming from - even an 'Endurance' or 'All-road' bike will have a lot more clearance and capability than your old bike. A gravel bike might be too much - but got my 2016 Specialized Diverge and ride it as an endurance/all-road/winter/commuter and love it. It wasn't even a 'gravel bike' back then, the term coming in shortly after I got it. Think it was an 'Off Road drop bar' bike then. But will fit 35mm up front, 40mm on the rear. I've basically used that clearance to fit some good fixed guards to it, did ride 32mm under them but pretty tight (actually clogged them up with mud a couple of times). 28mm's fit easily, so should swallow the 30mm with some adjusting.
It's all done by regional councils tendering out contracts isn't it? Very little central government can do about it. Like the Herefordshire one, something like the company who'd got the old post-covid tender claimed for £4.2m of repairs and the cowboys only did £2m of repairs. Then the new company who got it afterwards (big local media uproar) only claimed £2-3m (no idea how much they did) and the state of the roads deteriorated so badly we became 'second worst roads in the UK'. Council then in 23/24 bumped it back up to £5m and 24/25 up to £8m to 'catch back up'. Reading for 25/26 they've bumped it to £11m. Crazy amount of money - due to previous many years of neglect.
But fundamentally we are seeing the roads geadually improve around here so it is working. But also seeing a lot more 'surface dressing' going on here now - is everyone else the same? Main roads fairly good, more minor B roads getting horrible 'chip & seal' going down on otherwise fairly good roads which didn't really need it. Yes they're repairing the worst parts pretty well, but then surface dressing otherwise good roads with the excuse to 'extend the life of them' - which makes them god awful for cycling on for 12+ months until the stuff has got ground in and worn off enough to make it smooth for the next 2-3 years and they'll do it again. GAH
That's exactly it, isn't it. Why people are just so confrontational and ignorant on the roads is beyond me. Majority of them would give way and apologise if they bumped into you walking down the street. Put them into a car and they become the worst version of themselves!
Last edited:
But I guess it happens in a few ways, like forums or computer games... people can be such toxic A holes, whereas in person they're probably very nice.
Soldato
- Joined
- 18 Oct 2002
- Posts
- 7,075
- Location
- Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
The change from 25-28 is pretty big, so going 25-30mm would be pretty huge. I went from racey 28 to tough/big endurance 32 and found them a bit too big. Uninspiring and a bit 'boaty', but supremely comfortable. I've ridden 28's since then but do have a set of Conti GP5000 STR 30mm I'm intending to move to for winter (just trying to get a decent amount of wear on last 28mm I bought - Vittorias Rubino). Actually picked up a leaky hole on the Vittorias last week, sealant mostly held but then a few days afterwards the front was flat too. Probably just sealant ageing quickly in the heat, but might be their time has finally come!
Totally get where you're coming from - even an 'Endurance' or 'All-road' bike will have a lot more clearance and capability than your old bike. A gravel bike might be too much - but got my 2016 Specialized Diverge and ride it as an endurance/all-road/winter/commuter and love it. It wasn't even a 'gravel bike' back then, the term coming in shortly after I got it. Think it was an 'Off Road drop bar' bike then. But will fit 35mm up front, 40mm on the rear. I've basically used that clearance to fit some good fixed guards to it, did ride 32mm under them but pretty tight (actually clogged them up with mud a couple of times). 28mm's fit easily, so should swallow the 30mm with some adjusting.
Thanks for the input, I'll think about it for a while. Bikepacking is something I'd like to do, but my partner doesn't like cycling, and we have 2 dogs at home. So how much of that I'll actually be able to manage I'm not sure! Serviced the old bike today, only issue I found is that one of the brake cable ending bit is seized into the frame .. don't think I can really do anything about that.
Lovely weather today (if anything, a bit too hot @ 28c!) so I'll get out again in the evening and get 30km or so in
First ride out today from the new rental. Plotted a pretty sweet route with a lor more gravel that i usually end up with which was a lot of fun. Also takes me past my building site to keep an eye on any builders progress! Some horrific hills in there too. Had to push at one point so a few opportunities there to work on hill strength which is nice.
Has been getting hot here since the weekend with a peak yesterday, actually couldn't face Zwift last night (37 degrees in my garage!) so crammed in the club Tuesday social. Always tricky for me - finishing work at 5, get home some family time eat and then back out at 6 for a meetup and 6.30 departure! So hectic and in 'bad books' even before I left... But spending 10-15 mins on the 'slip & slide' with my son was quite important while dinner was cooking!
I was pretty late leaving (and full of BBQ food), but legs going well! Made it to meetup 2 mins to spare. Crazy average considering the heat but was really lucky with traffic!
Usual lead away and a dozen riders, they'd normally do fairly leisurely ride finishing at the pub for 8.30 I'd told my other half I'd leave them early and get back home for 8-8.30 as the group usually rides 'my side' of town. Not last night! Headed hilly and East the opposite side. Typical! I did some early sweeping/pacing to keep things rolling and aid a regroup when out of the traffic. Couple of horrible climbs in there made even worse as under the tree canopy things where cooking rather than cooling off! Around 8ish I bid the group farewell and rode off the front to get back. I was flying! Legs felt good and especially things cooling down the last half hour or so as the sun dipped. Glorious evening as it cooled and again proving that I'm fairly good riding in the heat... 2x650ml bottles and 2/3 of one left!
Oh I've a dog and a 7 year old and no easy way I'd get a 'several day pass' to go bike packing. My other half commutes by bike 65% the time, but that's as far as her interest goes. I can't even get a 'cycling holiday' considered without it also being a family trip!
But it is what we make of it - I'm going well the last couple of years surpassed where I was before my son came along and I'm now 45. But now I'm massively more time pressured it feels good to be 'better' on the bike. I must be doing something right!
I was pretty late leaving (and full of BBQ food), but legs going well! Made it to meetup 2 mins to spare. Crazy average considering the heat but was really lucky with traffic!
Usual lead away and a dozen riders, they'd normally do fairly leisurely ride finishing at the pub for 8.30 I'd told my other half I'd leave them early and get back home for 8-8.30 as the group usually rides 'my side' of town. Not last night! Headed hilly and East the opposite side. Typical! I did some early sweeping/pacing to keep things rolling and aid a regroup when out of the traffic. Couple of horrible climbs in there made even worse as under the tree canopy things where cooking rather than cooling off! Around 8ish I bid the group farewell and rode off the front to get back. I was flying! Legs felt good and especially things cooling down the last half hour or so as the sun dipped. Glorious evening as it cooled and again proving that I'm fairly good riding in the heat... 2x650ml bottles and 2/3 of one left!
Maybe. I'm still not convinced about that @grudas chap
love you really!
The endcap things on the cable outers should be plastic?! Although there are metal ones on some older cables. But you might find those quite thin, whereas frame lugs chunky alloy... So frame should be tougher if you fight with it. But yeah maybe judge is it worth it if you can work around the issue & tension cable another way (at the caliper!?)
Oh I've a dog and a 7 year old and no easy way I'd get a 'several day pass' to go bike packing. My other half commutes by bike 65% the time, but that's as far as her interest goes. I can't even get a 'cycling holiday' considered without it also being a family trip!
But it is what we make of it - I'm going well the last couple of years surpassed where I was before my son came along and I'm now 45. But now I'm massively more time pressured it feels good to be 'better' on the bike. I must be doing something right!
I've been meaning to do this for some time, but this morning I set my alarm for 5:35am (so, technically before the sun was even up) and got out on my bike by 6am. Now, I often leave for work around 6:20am and I'm always surprised how many other cars are about, but then that's the M25 mainly so I couldn't believe how quiet and peaceful it was this morning.
It's kind of a new route too, as finding a cafe that opens at 7am isn't easy, but I loved some of the lanes I went down, so will definitely be looking to do this again if the weather holds.
It's kind of a new route too, as finding a cafe that opens at 7am isn't easy, but I loved some of the lanes I went down, so will definitely be looking to do this again if the weather holds.
quick question for the collective...
new chain... do you remove links before installing ?
how do you check how many you need to remove or is it a specific number..
.im on 12speed ultegra at the moemnt and have orderd a fancy KMC chain...
thanks
new chain... do you remove links before installing ?
how do you check how many you need to remove or is it a specific number..
.im on 12speed ultegra at the moemnt and have orderd a fancy KMC chain...
thanks