Road Cycling

[Roady]

Bit the bullet last night and bought the Powertap C1 chainrings in 52*36 (also noted the chainring options seem weird!? - 53*39, 52*36, 50*36. Usual compact is 50*34!?).

Wiggle price was one of the best, with 14% off and currently 6% cashback (topcashback). Also I know if I'm not happy I'll have no problem returning them to Wiggle at any point, if I get problems with Powertap (unlikely)! I'll shut up now Ben

FTP is important as its part of the puzzle, just as TTE is. Its part of the same thing devised by the same bloke to improve performance. It isn't one thing or the other but a combination, if I'm not mistaken so that depending on your chosen discipline, you train to specific plans to improve the areas you want to improve on your power graph.

Ok, but if you were measuring TTE then providing it's not shorter than 20 mins/1 hour then you could easily use it in place of a dedicated 'FTP Test'. Unless of course you were some kinda Endurance specialist and your TTE is into multiple hours? But then you wouldn't really be using FTP for training, would you? I think that's what I was trying to say... Specification of training towards a TTE or FTP test will only make you good at those specific riding conditions. Most of us are looking for a more rounded progress, unless we were only interested in 10/25 mile TT's, then FTP all the way!

The SM-PCE1 is more for bike shops where you can directly connect each component.

All good info, welcome to our small area of the forums Dave! Bike builder?

I refute their Epic label, 4500ft of climbing in 102 miles isn't much

Gotta agree, even if it's 5900ft that's still 'only' 58 ft/mile, hardly 'Epic'! (except to Londoners)

 

[FrenchTart]

The smallest cog size the C1 supports is 36 iirc, hence there being no 34 option.

Will be interested to hear how you get on with it anyhow

 

[Roady]

Yup, something to do with the adaptor plate it comes on won't support smaller than 36T. Also a change in teeth requires recalibration. From what I've read on the Powertap site the rings can be changed by the user but they 'recommend' it's done by themselves. The way it's worded you don't have to use their chainrings but not 100% sure.

I was unaware if I'd ordered the 53*39 if I could've just swapped the rings (as they're just standard FSA ones) for my 52*36 (as I've already got 2 sets of 52*36's and 1 of 52*34) but I'd already figured I'm happy enough on my 52 (and the 52 was out of stock anyway) before seeing they'd need recalibration.

Just hope the rings wear a little better than the FSA gossamer ones from my Defy, but then they had 2.5 years of all weather use and still ok. Replacement rings are available ($200!), they're all FSA branded.

Lots of talk about batteries and life, just standard CR2032's. But I know from reading if I'm only seeing 30-40 hours life (200 is quoted!) then they're good at replacing them.

 

[SDK^]

I refute their Epic label, 4500ft of climbing in 102 miles isn't much

As stated - it's 5900 ft Enough to warm the legs up

 

[rnickster]

Majorca

'ola everyone,

just thought I would check in to see if anybody was going to Majorca over the easter bank holiday?

Just booked to be in Puerto Pollensa from 13th April - 17th April, going with the old man but he won't be cycling with me so be good to meet up with anyone for a ride if they are around.

I've been off the bike for 3 months basically since moving house and then slicing a tendon in my finger doing DIY (doh!) so just getting back on it commuting and doing weekend rides to build up for Majorca in April! Always helps when you've something to work towards but boy am I out of shape!!

 

[lordrobs]

Rear lights... why are they so annoyingly rubbish?! Here are my current selection;

Moon Comet - <50% after 1 ride so needs to be charged every use
Lezyne Micro Drive - <50% after 1 ride so needs to be charged every use
Aldi Nebula Clone - Lasts for multiple rides but the low battery warning comes on with less than a standard ride run time (45 minutes). So I have to try and remember to charge it every other ride.

Should I just give up and get a couple of basic ones that run on AAA batteries? Run times of 100+ hours and I can instantly throw in a fresh set.

What I'd really like is for a modest output (25 Lumens is plenty) rechargeable light with a bigger battery but the market doesn't cater for that

 

[Shamrock]

Rear lights...

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/exposure-blaze-mk1-rear-light/

Brighter than what you are looking for, but really good run times.

It runs for 48 hours on the lowest pulse setting.

Only criticism from me is the button is annoying with winter gloves on but all lights seem to have rubbish buttons!

 

[hornetstinger]

A rear light that is too bright is stupid and dangerous. I think needs to be a limit on how bright they are.
The one I have is max lumens 100 and that is too bright.

 

[lordrobs]

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/exposure-blaze-mk1-rear-light/

Brighter than what you are looking for, but really good run times.

Only criticism from me is the button is annoying with winter gloves on but all lights seem to have rubbish buttons!

I'm sure it is well worth the money but I couldn't spend over seventy notes on a rear light that I will only ever use at 1/4 of the power it is capable of throwing out.

I think I'll have a punt at the Moon Pulsar. It looks like a similar unit to my Comet but with 2 x AAA batteries giving 40+ hours even on max brightness.

A rear light that is too bright is stupid and dangerous. I think needs to be a limit on how bright they are.
The one I have is max lumens 100 and that is too bright.

I think part of the problem with my Lezyne is that it is running too bright. It should be putting out 30 lumens in constant but it doesn't appear to get any brighter on daytime flash (70 lumen). Glancing over my shoulder everything behind is lit up in red I've already been refunded for it so I should just bin it but I'm not keen on sending stuff to landfill when it still serves some purpose.

 

[hornetstinger]

Which lezyne rear do you have? I found the tubular one too spot -like, too bright from directly behind, with poor side vision. It's like a laser beam

 

[Roady]

The Blaze is complete overkill for most scenarios, although it's an incredible light, up to 80 lumen constant for 6 hours from a rear shouldn't be neccessary. It'll do much longer burntimes (48h) on flash/pulse and has 3 (or more) lighting 'modes', like most of the Exposure's.

I personally love the TraceR (have 2 of them). It's small, packs a punch and has great burntimes. It's also usually half the money of the Blaze. I find my TraceR on mode 2, doing pulse (around 50 lumen 'flashes' with a low 20/30 lumen constant) will last me for over 2 weeks of commuting (4*10 minutes per day for 4-5 days) ~5-6 hours of use with an additional 2-3 hours of leisure use. So around 7-9 hours burntime. I've only used it constant on mode 1 in thick fog a handful of times, never long enough to judge burntimes (a quoted 3 hours @75 lumen). Mode 2 pulse (50 lumen) is bright enough to be seen in daylight hours (I still run mine in the summer). Takes 3-4 hours to fully charge over USB. One of mine is 2.5 years old and burntimes are only marginally reduced. Also has 2 years warranty, Exposure being from the UK should be good to deal with (I'd have no issues buying one second hand if I could get a copy of the receipt to prove its age).

The Flare is a slightly cheaper alternative, same 75 lumen max but slightly reduced burntimes, BUT has replaceable rechargeable batteries you can get an external charger for.

My other rear I run is a Moon Nebula on constant. Gets over 2 week's burntime commuting on medium mode, but not as much as the TraceR. Only generally run it morning/evening and not in the daytime like the TraceR, so around 2-3 hours burntime. It's great as it has a large light 'area' so very visible.

 

[SoliD]

Exposure TraceR - Best light I've ever had.

 

[Shamrock]

Meh, you guys are willing to compromise then complain your rear lights suck.

 

[BennyC]

That faceplant though...

Ouch

 

[lordrobs]

Which lezyne rear do you have? I found the tubular one too spot -like, too bright from directly behind, with poor side vision. It's like a laser beam

Micro Drive, sounds like the one you are describing.

Well, I've gone for the Moon Pulsar as my backup light. As I'm a super paranoid sort I run two lights, a backup on the saddle bag set to flashing and a main light on constant.

I'll run the Pulsar on flashing (120+ hours) and just swap between my rechargeable ones as my main light. I'll certainly consider the Exposure units when I get a new main light but I'll try and stretch that out to next winter as I tend to abandon my lights over the summer which doesn't do the batteries much good.

That faceplant though...

DAMN!

 

[BennyC]

'Puerto Pollensa from 13th April - 17th April,

Enjoy, you'll have a great time. Too soon for me to head back but keen to revisit in 2018.

 

[One More Solo]

The Flare is a nightmare, avoid. I've had loads of issues with both of mine turning themselves off randomly. TraceR on the other hand seems great so far.

 

[Thomas. PLease.]

The Flare is a nightmare, avoid. I've had loads of issues with both of mine turning themselves off randomly. TraceR on the other hand seems great so far.

MY exposure experiences have been rubbish, rear light just turns off and has woeful battery life.

Moved to a cateye one which is very bright and I swear is nuclear powered as I've only charged it about 6 times across the last year.

 

[Bear]

Ok, but if you were measuring TTE then providing it's not shorter than 20 mins/1 hour then you could easily use it in place of a dedicated 'FTP Test'. Unless of course you were some kinda Endurance specialist and your TTE is into multiple hours? But then you wouldn't really be using FTP for training, would you? I think that's what I was trying to say... Specification of training towards a TTE or FTP test will only make you good at those specific riding conditions. Most of us are looking for a more rounded progress, unless we were only interested in 10/25 mile TT's, then FTP all the way!

Sorry I'm just crap at explaining myself. From my understanding, FTP isnt something to train towards, its a baseline of power that determines your zones at your given fitness level, its a rough equivalent to your lactic threshold for people that dont train in labs i.e. normal people. Its good to train and improve your threshold power but as you say, that doesn't win races if you are so inclined unless you are perhaps a TTer.

TTE is an extension to FTP, which is the point at where you fail to hold your FTP through fatigue. You use TTE to understand where your fatigue level is in time and use training plans to extend that time, I doubt many people can genuinely hold their 20min flat out FTP for an hour unless you TT a lot, so your power will probably drop off say 40mins in, so you train to make sure you can hold that power longer which improves your TTE.

Through your training you build up your power profile (strava power graph for instance) and you train specific areas that you require improvements on by working the appropriate zones that comes from your FTP. So if you want to be able to sprint well, you work to be able to maintain your maximal power output for say 20 -30s so your power graph to maxes out for 20 to 30s before dropping off. If you want to be able to improve your power so you can jump the gaps on a break away, you train your 1+ min power so you can make the jump etc. Its all metrics to to provide zones with which to profile your overall performance to show you where you need to improve for a given discipline, not that FTP or TTE is a training goal in itself.

Hopefully someone more knowledgeable will come along and put me straight if I'm way off the mark

 

[Shadowness]

I'll have a read on TTE too then.

As stated, FTP was just something I can work on, and a relatively simple measure of my performance and progress.