Road Cycling

Roady said:
I've done it for a few years -having a tough alloy 'commuter' wheelset, then a 'summer fun' carbon aero one. But think I've reached the point now where going for 2 bikes there's very little need. I still might revamp some of my alloy wheels for some CX use and the fact I've got 3 sets, seems silly not to have a 'super bad weather' commuter set which would also do dry CX, so more of a gravel tyre on them alongside the real mud grippy ones...


Fairly straight forward. I've swapped them around, even cut some ends off and refitted barbs+olives when changing bars over so just cut them and fit new bits - must be as easy when fitting new hose... I've the Shimano kit and long overdue changing one of my hoses on my commuter, it's a 'job to do' when I get around to it... Need to change the groupset (11s di2 franken self-build to 12s Shimano 105 di2) but also changing the front brake from post mount to flat mount with the wolftooth adaptor... Which also means changing from a 160mm rotor to a 180mm... Neverending :D


Of course! Talk about a blast from the past - good for you to check back in with us. Also 'good' to hear you're riding well, even with the accident. Good to see you making progress back, keep it up! And keep coming back here - you're one of the 'originals' in my little world of Cycling and this forum :D


Great ride, well done!


As the others mentioned, they might/should be just long enough to swap over - they don't look to be integrated in stem/bars looking at pics on the Cube site. You'll have to re-wrap/replace the bar tape, fairly straight forward & easy to do (just wind it back to the shifters). Re-route the hoses - you'll probably have them crossed below your bars (unless already crossed so uncross), so figure if you want that before the screw in bit holding them in place, or after it. But make sure they don't snag or pull when doing that (& when steering).

I don't know 'how' SRAM hoses fit into shifters, but certainly Shimano the 'olive' and barbs used are '1 fit' to the hose, then are quite easy to move around. Almost impossible to remove the olives to refit them, usually need to cut them off to get them through a frame hole. But looking at the build on the Cube website you shouldn't need to.


Kinda easier being double sided, but also they feel 'small' compared to SPD-SL. If you're used to the much wider and more secure pedals of SPD-SL & Look Keo, you'll find you have to 'hunt around' to find the pedal and push the cleat in straight down - It takes more than the 'habit' you may have of finding the front 'just below your toes' and pedal into them like SPD-SL...
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I’m just going to go for a quick ride around rather than my usual 30km daily route with the brakes how they are and get the bits together in case I do need to bleed brakes etc. I’ve done a lot of work on my own bikes over the years but somehow never re-wrapped handlebars but that should be easy enough.

The shoes I ordered are way too tight so they’re going back for a size up, my SPD-SL shoes are the same size so it’s probably a manufacturer thing (Northwave existing vs Shimano new)

Did a bit of clipping in / out in the garage and yeah I’m just not familiar with where the cleat is on my foot as it’s smaller but I’m sure I’ll get the hang of that
 
After a quick test ride - SPD are easy to clip in and out of, no issues at all (apart from the shoes being too small!)

Saddle wasn’t straight, doesn’t matter as adjusted to height anyway
The handlebars for me were in a pretty odd position (pointing down too much), adjusted now and feels great
The gear indexing for lower gears is really bad, will have to investigate this

Can’t believe it’s been nearly 20 years since my last new bike day
 
Enjoying getting back into road cycling after a few years off. Got my bike serviced last week and yet to get out on it. Hopefully this weekend I'll get back out on it
 
Ironic Namesake said:
The shoes I ordered are way too tight so they’re going back for a size up, my SPD-SL shoes are the same size so it’s probably a manufacturer thing (Northwave existing vs Shimano new)

Did a bit of clipping in / out in the garage and yeah I’m just not familiar with where the cleat is on my foot as it’s smaller but I’m sure I’ll get the hang of that
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Wrapping bars is straight forward, look at some YT vids as there's several different ways of doing it - the 'knack' is knowing what you're going to do around the Shifter before you get there when wrapping... I do figure-8. Most important is the direction so when you ride on the tops you're tightening not loosening. Basically most riders on the tops, as you do it more when climbing, you 'pull back' so need to wind tape towards you. Practice with existing/old - I even used old tape on my lawn mower handle as practice, but it worked so well on there it's still there several years later! :cry:

Shimano can size up quite narrow, I have a 'Wide' version and although a little too wide for me, they're a much better fit than regular. For Lake, newer Specialized and even Giro I don't size Wide. For Fizik, Shimano and Rapha I do. Although the Sidi I have are not wide, they're old, when I tried some newer ones on in a shop they did feel tight so would likely need wide again. I am wearing inserts so have issues with toe box width made worse by them, sometimes if tight there get numb toes, other times get a sore upper foot, but same with 'normal' shoes too (without inserts). Those with a wider standard fit (Nike & NB) generally ok, those with more narrow (Converse) I struggle for fit/comfort, while others (Timberland & Sketchers) are almost different from model to model on how well they fit... :rolleyes:

SPD might feel small, but as you've likely found as it's double sided you can kinda 'aim' your foot at the right place and wriggle it around to clip in... SPD-SL & Keo have to be more accurate and 'technique' to flip the side and clip it quickly.

mitch212k said:
Enjoying getting back into road cycling after a few years off. Got my bike serviced last week and yet to get out on it. Hopefully this weekend I'll get back out on it
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Great news, welcome back! What took you so long?! You've missed a fantastic long summer for it! :cool:
 
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I think it's time I put my bike back on the turbo. Don't have a garage or shed and I can't stand the idea of bringing a dirty bike into the house :(

I am quite looking forward to being able to do Epic KOM on the regular though.
 
Have Ironman Weymouth 70.3 on Sunday, weather is looking pretty pants, downpours forecasted all day with 40+mph gusts of winds which could be a little sketchy on the bike leg..I am glad I opted for 32c tyres at this stage :D
 
Finally got a 100 miler in for the year last Saturday - 164km with 3000m climbing. First time I've ever gone over 3000m in a ride which shows how relentless a loop out to the Peak District is. I think the longest climb up the back of The Roaches was about 6km, though the steep bits are about compressed into 2km. One of those rides where you got to the top of a climb to find it's straight back down - rinse & repeat. Found a couple of sections of 20%+ to gurn-up (which have you clicking in hope for another gear but finding there's nothing left).

Managed to see how crashes are caused in the pro-peloton. I was behind my brother-in-law going up a shallow hill. We had a nasty headwind so it was a bit of slog for a pretty easy gradient (sub 5%). I think my concentration went for a second and I lightly buzzed his back wheel with my front wheel. As I realised I was going to skim his tyre I tried to correct but over-corrected. Unusually for a country lane there was a proper kerb, so I smacked the kerb and went over the bars. Thankfully there was a grass verge and I ended up upside down with a relatively soft landing, though the nettles stung a bit. Bike was fine but more importantly, B-i-L stayed upright. Few scratches on my left leg and a weird 2 to 3 inch friction burn type wound above my left ankle. No clothing damage bar a small hole / scuff on my left sock, so I'm puzzled as to what caused the wound. I realised I was going over the bars but the next thing I know I was on my back on the grass (think a happy baby pose if you do any yoga!) . I don't think I hit the tarmac as I didn't even feel beaten up from the impact.
 
Martynt74 said:
I thought you said you would have a garage/bigger shed at the new house?
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I thought I had updated you lol. So the house we ended up buying did not have the garage. The one with the garage got reserved the day before we called up!! Though, in hindsight we are glad as we prefer the layout of our house as it has a significantly bigger kitchen without an annoying breakfast bar separating it.

The plan is to still get a 6x3meter out house built (Most likely going through Tiger Shed's cedar clad garden room) which will have a 2x3 'hidden shed' and then 4x3 left to my own devices. But I'm waiting on the house I have inherited in Jamaica to sell before I'll be in a position to purchase it as what we've had priced up is just shy of £30k, which includes some decking space as well as all the electrics and other bits sorted. I don't particularly want it going on finance so waiting for the house sale to complete and then we can get that sorted in the garden. I should shop around and see if it's something local builders could do for cheaper but it seems most of the garden room specialists I've spoken to have given prices within that ballpark.

For now, I've set up my bike on the turbo in the office space upstairs. It's fine bringing my bike up and down in the dryer months (another win for wax vs oil) but as soon as it gets messy outdoors, it's not something I want to be doing often.
 
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Junglist said:
For now, I've set up my bike on the turbo in the office space upstairs. It's fine bringing my bike up and down in the dryer months (another win for wax vs oil) but as soon as it gets messy outdoors, it's not something I want to be doing often.
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While still riding outside, you could have a "velosock" by the front door to carry the bike to the turbo, which will enclose both wheels and most of the frame.
 
UTmaniac said:
While still riding outside, you could have a "velosock" by the front door to carry the bike to the turbo, which will enclose both wheels and most of the frame.
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Yeah we’ve currently got some bike socks which we keep them in. Saved the walls from a bunch of scuffs!

These were only about £4 each of AliExpress and not waterproof but very handy for protecting the carpet
 
#Chri5# said:
I lightly buzzed his back wheel with my front wheel. As I realised I was going to skim his tyre I tried to correct but over-corrected. Unusually for a country lane there was a proper kerb, so I smacked the kerb and went over the bars. Thankfully there was a grass verge and I ended up upside down with a relatively soft landing, though the nettles stung a bit.
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Lucky! Well mostly, can't really call it a 'close call' when you came off! Scuff probably from the kerb itself so you're quite lucky no damage to the bike?! :eek:

Junglist said:
The plan is to still get a 6x3meter out house built (Most likely going through Tiger Shed's cedar clad garden room) which will have a 2x3 'hidden shed' and then 4x3 left to my own devices. But I'm waiting on the house I have inherited in Jamaica to sell before I'll be in a position to purchase it as what we've had priced up is just shy of £30k, which includes some decking space as well as all the electrics and other bits sorted.
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Without the garage there and that cost maybe question what you're getting it for. You don't need a garage with fixed foundations for somewhere to Zwift in. You don't need a building to secure things. If you're short on space something more like an 'outside area' you can secure things within, with also some kinda covering so you have 'space'. A 'log cabin' doesn't need things like planning due to lack of foundations but can be fixed enough for electrics while also secure enough to use like a garage. Basically if you don't 'need' a garage to put a car in, then don't build one!

I've thought for a time of having an outside space, we've a bunch of patio it would be good to have some covering over it. A 'fixed' type gazebo so we could still 'do stuff outside' in the rain. Less dog/child muddy floors. Somewhere to still air dry clothes when the weather is being 'British'. An outside space to keep things like garden furniture and BBQ's rather than packing them away in the garage for the winter, etc. My garage is good, space for a fixed Zwift setup and store all the bikes securely, but so much of the other space is used up by other things which don't need that amount of cover and security. Probably need a bit of an overhang outside of the back door we use for bikes in&out. That would give me outside space I use in the summer for bike/wood cutting etc and other maintenance which during the winter/rain has to be done indoors making a mess of the floor too.
 
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Oh no, the plan was to have it as an external office/break out space. I’d put my gaming pc desk set up in there, a TV, sofa and the usual bits. It’ll just also be somewhere I’d have a turbo/exercise bike also in.

Means I can go out of the house and watch the early AM boxing and F1 races without worrying about the rest of the house :D

If we did have the house with the garage we would’ve likely converted 3/4 of it to a usable living room kind of space. Our compromise of buying a house in this area was always to be around having essentially another room built. Be it in the garage or a garden room
 
Roady said:
Wrapping bars is straight forward, look at some YT vids as there's several different ways of doing it - the 'knack' is knowing what you're going to do around the Shifter before you get there when wrapping... I do figure-8. Most important is the direction so when you ride on the tops you're tightening not loosening. Basically most riders on the tops, as you do it more when climbing, you 'pull back' so need to wind tape towards you. Practice with existing/old - I even used old tape on my lawn mower handle as practice, but it worked so well on there it's still there several years later! :cry:

Shimano can size up quite narrow, I have a 'Wide' version and although a little too wide for me, they're a much better fit than regular. For Lake, newer Specialized and even Giro I don't size Wide. For Fizik, Shimano and Rapha I do. Although the Sidi I have are not wide, they're old, when I tried some newer ones on in a shop they did feel tight so would likely need wide again. I am wearing inserts so have issues with toe box width made worse by them, sometimes if tight there get numb toes, other times get a sore upper foot, but same with 'normal' shoes too (without inserts). Those with a wider standard fit (Nike & NB) generally ok, those with more narrow (Converse) I struggle for fit/comfort, while others (Timberland & Sketchers) are almost different from model to model on how well they fit... :rolleyes:

SPD might feel small, but as you've likely found as it's double sided you can kinda 'aim' your foot at the right place and wriggle it around to clip in... SPD-SL & Keo have to be more accurate and 'technique' to flip the side and clip it quickly.


Great news, welcome back! What took you so long?! You've missed a fantastic long summer for it! :cool:
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Yeah tbh the whole front brake being on the left is bothering me a lot less than I thought it would, not sure if I'll end up switching it around - I've bought a bleed kit anyway so I have the tools necessary when (or if) I decide to change that.

Having done a couple of my daily 30km loops which is mostly road on the bike I feel like the schwalbe g-one r pro are a bit slow when road only so I've ordered some GP5000s and see how they compare.

Last few rides have been pretty miserable and cold as it's been raining and colder, as I just ride in shorts + T-shirt. I'll have to buy some more suitable clothing as I won't be very motivated to carry on if I get drenched within minutes of leaving the house!

According to Strava I'm burning a lot less calories when recording the ride with my phone vs the watch before (cracked screen + water ingress = watch tries to call emergency services constantly so I stopped using it)
 
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Defy Belief said:
Have Ironman Weymouth 70.3 on Sunday, weather is looking pretty pants, downpours forecasted all day with 40+mph gusts of winds which could be a little sketchy on the bike leg..I am glad I opted for 32c tyres at this stage :D
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It wasn't so bad in the end!



Run, not so much..... But this is a road cycling thread so I won't talk about that :D
 
Read quite a lot of unhappy peoples posts about the cancelled swim, most said it wasn’t that bad in the morning.

When I did it once they shortened it. Wouldn’t fancy riding on those roads in the wet too! Apart from wind one year, I’ve been lucky with the rain each time.
 
Shadowness said:
Read quite a lot of unhappy peoples posts about the cancelled swim, most said it wasn’t that bad in the morning.

When I did it once they shortened it. Wouldn’t fancy riding on those roads in the wet too! Apart from wind one year, I’ve been lucky with the rain each time.
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Yeah, it was pancake flat in the morning so it was disappointing they made the decision the night before as if they didn't it should have gone ahead really.

It's probably the last time I'll pick a course with a sea swim as the likelihood of it being cancelled or shortened is pretty high, think they've had one full swim in 4 years now!
 
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