Road Cycling Essentials

Status
Not open for further replies.
Caporegime
Joined
22 Nov 2005
Posts
45,166
Anyone want to call up Planet X and do a group-buy to see if they will honour the old price? I count possibly 3 bikes they could sell?
It's highly unlikely they will do a group buy for the old price if they couldn't keep up with demand at that price.
 
Soldato
Joined
29 Dec 2004
Posts
16,984
Location
Shepley
Yeah, I'd guess the price has gone up as they must be at capacity at the moment judging by the lead times quoted. Plus, we're entering the busiest period of the year for people buying non cycle to work scheme bikes so the £1000 barrier is less of a concern. They usually run a sale during or after the Tour but failing that the Pro Carbon Rival is still very good value.
 
Soldato
Joined
17 Mar 2007
Posts
5,506
Location
Plymouth
Decided to go ahead and build some summer wheels, wanted something which looks a bit so went for unusual lacing patterns:

2 cross, two trailing and two leading front wheel:

fronttwocrosstwoleadtwotrail0_zpse02ecfa9.jpg


fronttwocrosstwoleadtwotrail_zps231f62d3.jpg


Traditional 3 cross drive side and radial non drive on rear wheel:

rearnondrive0_zpsc941a1a4.jpg


rearnondrive_zps1e17e7d2.jpg


To be fair I don't think anyone would notice the difference unless they were into building wheels themselves, this is the rear wheel off angle for instance:

rearnondrive1_zps9b388737.jpg


It was interesting to do though, for instance balancing the tension on the front wheel was challenging because each side has two distinct tones when plucked. (This was because half the spokes are laced against one another where they cross and the other are not, to avoid an aggressive lace close to the wide hub flange on the wider part of the spoke).

105 hubs, chrina rims and Alpina F1 double butted spokes.
 
Soldato
Joined
22 Sep 2008
Posts
10,043
Location
Burscough
Pretty grim day to go out cycling although this evening is looking great but I'm going to the cinema instead! Damn!

Going to head out early tomorrow out towards Farley Lane near Upholland and around recce a few places around there. 50:50 rain but probably just showers tomorrow.
 
Caporegime
Joined
28 Jun 2005
Posts
48,104
Location
On the hoods
Pretty grim day to go out cycling although this evening is looking great but I'm going to the cinema instead! Damn!

Going to head out early tomorrow out towards Farley Lane near Upholland and around recce a few places around there. 50:50 rain but probably just showers tomorrow.

How early? Where exactly are you headed? Post up a route or something. I'll be heading out about half seven or eight and coming home for half nine, so we may cross paths.
 
Soldato
Joined
25 Feb 2004
Posts
18,138
Location
Hampshire
Had my bikefit yesterday which I will give more detail on once I get my details from the bike fitter, but I'm glad I done it and can highly recommend Vankru Cycling in Southampton.

Anyway to today, I had an open TT on a nearby 10m course that I hadn't ever done.

Had a few mishaps before I even started, as my car wouldn't start, so had to get it jump started, and just as I was heading to the start the timekeeper said I would have to cover up the sky on my skinsuit as I was not sponsored by them. Out came the gaffer tape! (Team GB skinsuit Adidas from eBay, I know it breaks the rules, but my club kit is horrible and the quality is appaling, and twice the price :D )

Weather was perfect, about 20c, small breeze, managed to smash my 10mile PB by 45 seconds, which would partly be due to the course, as it was one of the flatter courses I've ridden, but still had some lumps and bumps, but I would attribute most to the fit, felt able to put down more power throughout and felt so much more comfortable.

Finished up with a time of 24:46 in the end, although this appears to be over 10.3 rather than 10 miles. Just need to keep on pushing, aiming to get under 24 minutes on my clubs 10 mile course, where my current PB is 25:32, and my best time over 10.

http://www.strava.com/activities/150583382
 
Last edited:
Soldato
Joined
22 Sep 2008
Posts
10,043
Location
Burscough
How early? Where exactly are you headed? Post up a route or something. I'll be heading out about half seven or eight and coming home for half nine, so we may cross paths.

I am in cinema at mo but was going up to Ashton, Billinge, Upholland a bit further north then back via Crank (not the hill), Billinge then back. Could be out for 8. Will post later.
 
Soldato
Joined
1 Oct 2008
Posts
12,466
Location
Designing Buildings
Gutted tonight, been glorious all day long (too hot for my bald head!) so thought I'd wait till this evening to go out and it started raining about 6 and progressively got worse :( Tomorrow's sunshine and showers so will have to get up earlish and get out while its fair.
 
Caporegime
Joined
28 Jun 2005
Posts
48,104
Location
On the hoods
Ok, question, would it be at all feasible to set up my old road bike - Carrera TDF - to be usable for light off-road work? Like borderline CX, but without the discs? Cutting to the chase, what 28mm 700c tyres could I get that would be ok on some trails, canal paths, etc? I guess I might have to jiggle the fit around a bit, as I guess a more relaxed position might suit off-road stuff better.

Is this a stupid idea? I'm never quite sure... When I first started riding again two years ago I was using an mtb on the road until I picked up a road bike and found out how much better that was, and while I've got that old mtb knocking around, I'm never going to do proper mtb riding with it so as much as anything else I'd be glad to have it out of the house.

I've got some spare wheels, so if I just got another cassette I could keep one set with road tyres on and one set with off-road tyres on it.
 
Associate
Joined
5 Jun 2013
Posts
1,531
Depends how rough the off road stuff is. I've gone down muddy cycle paths that aren't always maintained the best with 23m slicks. Also been along an old railway track converted to cycle path that was quite bumpy on just some halfords tyres, not sure what size but probably 25/28mm as it was on a 531 road bike. If you can fit 28mm on the tdf then you're laughing
 
Caporegime
Joined
28 Jun 2005
Posts
48,104
Location
On the hoods
Depends how rough the off road stuff is. I've gone down muddy cycle paths that aren't always maintained the best with 23m slicks. Also been along an old railway track converted to cycle path that was quite bumpy on just some halfords tyres, not sure what size but probably 25/28mm as it was on a 531 road bike. If you can fit 28mm on the tdf then you're laughing

I'm figuring I can get 28mm tyres on there as I currently have SKS P35 Chromoplastic mudguards on there, which are good for 20-28mm tyres. If the guards fit in the forks/stays and the tyres are supposed to fit in the guards then I should be sorted.

Looking around, the Schwalbe Marathon plus might be a good bet.
 
Caporegime
Joined
28 Jun 2005
Posts
48,104
Location
On the hoods
Check the brake caliper clearance also, that usually where bigger tyres have problems.

If the brakes fit round the mudguards, which they currently do, then how could they not fit round the tyres?

Sorry, this might be me failing to visualise how the brakes close on to the rim, and whether they'd clash with the tyre somewhere in a way I'm not seeing.

They're Tektro R540 brakes FWIW, but a quick Google isn't throwing up any info on what they'll accept.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top Bottom