Road Cycling

Roady · 30 Aug 2018 at 15:35

Bit of a sale going along on Wiggle but hadn't really had a look at it until now and only really spotted a couple of ok bargains:

Also had a bonus on the weekend... My go to bar I eat when riding is currently the NAKD bar as buying them in bulk from Wiggle usually makes them around 60-80p each. Natural ingredients so agree with me with no side/after affects. I'd seen them sold next to Supermarket tills before, but in a large ASDA noted they where normally £1.14 or something, but on offer two for £1! Not to mention even the newer flavours (blueberry/cocoa orange). £25 worth later and some interesting looks from the cashier (over my excitement) and I'm now sorted for 4 or 5 months. Well worth a look if you've got a local superstore (my local Asda isn't a place I visit, but they're not at Sainbuys or Aldi). :cool:

Side note, anyone with an old cateye rear light bracket they don't need?

Bear · 30 Aug 2018 at 15:43

I can have a look @Roady but I normally bin mine as I use the clip. I will have a look when I get home .

Roady · 30 Aug 2018 at 15:47

Thanks, I'm the same, have the clip but not the bracket & now I'm thinking of using the light on the baby chariot as a backup/3rd light over winter and ideally want to mount it on the frame.

Saytan · 30 Aug 2018 at 17:26

Been using a wheel I bought at a bike jumble on my work bike these past few months and noticed it'd gone out of true. One of the spokes has pulled through... That'll do it.

#Chri5# · 30 Aug 2018 at 18:12

SoliD said:
Bump on this please.

@SoliD

We started nearer to Settle but this was a great day out taking in Malham Cove and Park Rash climbs.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1676503646

Refuelled here - nice garden to sit in if the weather is good and they were happy to refill biddons before we left.

http://www.westwindsinyorkshire.co.uk/

Lethal` · 30 Aug 2018 at 20:10

Roady said:
Also had a bonus on the weekend... My go to bar I eat when riding is currently the NAKD bar as buying them in bulk from Wiggle usually makes them around 60-80p each. Natural ingredients so agree with me with no side/after affects. I'd seen them sold next to Supermarket tills before, but in a large ASDA noted they where normally £1.14 or something, but on offer two for £1! Not to mention even the newer flavours (blueberry/cocoa orange). £25 worth later and some interesting looks from the cashier (over my excitement) and I'm now sorted for 4 or 5 months. Well worth a look if you've got a local superstore (my local Asda isn't a place I visit, but they're not at Sainbuys or Aldi).

There's only like one nakd flavour I can eat... Allergic to cashews

Super annoying as so many energy bars etc have them.

BennyC · 30 Aug 2018 at 21:11

Roady said:
NakD Bars

Just buy Fig Rolls and save yourself a fortune

or HIKE bars from ALDI (though there's a fair bit of fiber in them).

merlin · 30 Aug 2018 at 21:37

Sometimes energy bars and gels pop up in Lidl & Aldi - if I spot them I take entire shelves

Bear · 31 Aug 2018 at 08:40

Roady said:
Thanks, I'm the same, have the clip but not the bracket & now I'm thinking of using the light on the baby chariot as a backup/3rd light over winter and ideally want to mount it on the frame.

I found one although it's not quite the same, it's not as low profile and has a ratchet type thing so you can angle the light properly if you fit it to your frame. I will take a pic later to see if it's any good to you.

Shamrock · 31 Aug 2018 at 08:45

Ugh, having a hard time aligning my hydraulic disc brake calipers so there's no rotor rub! Apart from that I think it's nearly ready. Just got to put the bar tape on and make sure everything is torqued up.

#Chri5# · 31 Aug 2018 at 09:11

Roady said:
Well done! Feels good doesn't it?! I really struggle to wake up properly and feel 'ready' for work when I drive in. Endorphins are better than caffeine!

Options for buying supplies (milk!) a little more locally? Once you get used to the route/roads (and find any shortcuts!) and carrying less you'll shave off some of that time anyways

Fought a headwind for what seemed all the way home on Wednesday, felt like I was peddling squares at times. Seemed much hillier, despite only 20m different in climbing.

I weighed my rucksack when I got home - just under 10kg. Plan next week is to drive in Monday, leave my laptop, some shoes and breakfast at the office. I've also found a lighter lock for the hotel, so hopefully I could drop 2 to 3kg off that.

Bear · 31 Aug 2018 at 09:27

Shamrock said:
Ugh, having a hard time aligning my hydraulic disc brake calipers so there's no rotor rub! Apart from that I think it's nearly ready. Just got to put the bar tape on and make sure everything is torqued up.

Unless the disc is warped, it’s just a matter of undoing the bolts on the calliper that bolts to the frame, pull the brake lever and do up the bolts. The calliper should self center when you pull the brake before doing up the bolts.

Roady · 31 Aug 2018 at 10:07

Saytan said:
Been using a wheel I bought at a bike jumble on my work bike these past few months and noticed it'd gone out of true. One of the spokes has pulled through... That'll do it.

Doh! Although why bike jumble when you can pickup a new wheel for <£50?

Lethal` said:
There's only like one nakd flavour I can eat... Allergic to cashews Super annoying as so many energy bars etc have them.

That's utterly pants, can't imagine trying to eat quality energy bars without various nuts in them, don't know what people with a nut allergy do!

BennyC said:
Just buy Fig Rolls and save yourself a fortune or HIKE bars from ALDI (though there's a fair bit of fiber in them).

Fig rolls are ok but far too dry & end up with biscuit all over the place! Most of the guys I ride with go with pure sugar (a jersey pocket full of jelly babies!), which I do occasionally but get better results (riding & afterwards) from more natural foods. HIKE bars give me indigestion! Really do find higher fibre things when riding are far more likely to give me a stitch. Must have a delicate constitution!

merlin said:
Sometimes energy bars and gels pop up in Lidl & Aldi - if I spot them I take entire shelves

Find out what works for you, then buy in bulk! My favourite is Cliff bars but even in bulk they're well over £1 each. Although they are bigger and more filling than NAKD bars, if I was away for a whole day I'd get a couple, but the high price means they're not really a bar I'd eat on 'normal' weekend rides.

Bear said:
I found one although it's not quite the same, it's not as low profile and has a ratchet type thing so you can angle the light properly if you fit it to your frame. I will take a pic later to see if it's any good to you.

Providing it fits the little square rear of most Cateye rear lights then it'll be better than what I have (nothing)! Trust me over how much you want for it (+postage) and I'll sort it for you, ta!

Shamrock said:
Ugh, having a hard time aligning my hydraulic disc brake calipers so there's no rotor rub! Apart from that I think it's nearly ready. Just got to put the bar tape on and make sure everything is torqued up.

Get some wear & heat in them, then realign. I've usually got a little noise (fffft, fffft, ffft) when fitting a new rotor/new pads/topped up fluid, but after an hour or two's riding (day or two of commutes) a realign and usually good to go/solved.

#Chri5# said:
I weighed my rucksack when I got home - just under 10kg. Plan next week is to drive in Monday, leave my laptop, some shoes and breakfast at the office. I've also found a lighter lock for the hotel, so hopefully I could drop 2 to 3kg off that.

Carrying shoes (due to bulk) and a good lock (due to weight) isn't something I do very often. I bought another Kryptonite just to avoid carrying one (one at home & one at work - Evolution 7 & 4), although now I'm carrying a cheapy cable lock for the nursery pickup (low risk & short time period in daytime). I've always gone with Kryptonite as I'm paranoid. The other half (cheap bike & hardly ever needs it) has an ok Arbus that fits onto her seatclamp for easy carrying (she doesn't need to remember it, it's always on her bike). Probably ok for a hotel lockup while you showered, sure hers only cost about £12/15 from Halfords and is one of these - http://www.wiggle.co.uk/abus-microflex-690-75cm-cable-bike-lock/

When carrying shoes I use the 'helmet carrier' on the rear of my commuting rucksack. Have used it for loads of carrying situations (coats, overshoes, packages) and never for a helmet lol :rolleyes:

Saytan · 31 Aug 2018 at 10:17

Roady said:
Doh! Although why bike jumble when you can pickup a new wheel for <£50?

£10 for an open pro on a campag chorus hub is why. The hub's still good for a new rim and worth more than a tenner on its own.

But mainly because i'm a tinkerer. I've not had a brand new complete bike since I was 15. I'm 36 this year....

Shamrock · 31 Aug 2018 at 10:24

Bear said:
Unless the disc is warped, it’s just a matter of undoing the bolts on the calliper that bolts to the frame, pull the brake lever and do up the bolts. The calliper should self center when you pull the brake before doing up the bolts.

Roady said:
Get some wear & heat in them, then realign. I've usually got a little noise (fffft, fffft, ffft) when fitting a new rotor/new pads/topped up fluid, but after an hour or two's riding (day or two of commutes) a realign and usually good to go/solved.

Yeah, I tried the loosen caliper, hold brake and tighten bolts method but hasn't got rid of the rub so far. I'm worried maybe I put too much fluid in (despite having the £20 Campag "oil level" tool between the pistons) so the pistons are sticking out too much.

I'll have another go tonight. The level of faff for hydraulics best be worth it!

#Chri5# · 31 Aug 2018 at 10:26

Roady said:
Carrying shoes (due to bulk) and a good lock (due to weight) isn't something I do very often. I bought another Kryptonite just to avoid carrying one (one at home & one at work - Evolution 7 & 4), although now I'm carrying a cheapy cable lock for the nursery pickup (low risk & short time period in daytime). I've always gone with Kryptonite as I'm paranoid. The other half (cheap bike & hardly ever needs it) has an ok Arbus that fits onto her seatclamp for easy carrying (she doesn't need to remember it, it's always on her bike). Probably ok for a hotel lockup while you showered, sure hers only cost about £12/15 from Halfords and is one of these - http://www.wiggle.co.uk/abus-microflex-690-75cm-cable-bike-lock/

When carrying shoes I use the 'helmet carrier' on the rear of my commuting rucksack. Have used it for loads of carrying situations (coats, overshoes, packages) and never for a helmet lol

Cheers.

I picked up a couple of Onguard Brute D-locks using the recent eBay discount code. Gold sold secure, worked out about £22 each. I did weigh one and I think it was over 2kg, so I swapped that for a Kryponite D-lock which is about 1kg lighter. I only need the lock for 5 to 10 minutes at the hotel where there's no specific bike parking, so I left my bike by the gym reception and lock through the rear wheel to stop somebody riding off with it. The armoured cable lock should be lighter again.

UTmaniac · 31 Aug 2018 at 10:31

Shamrock said:
Yeah, I tried the loosen caliper, hold brake and tighten bolts method but hasn't got rid of the rub so far. I'm worried maybe I put too much fluid in (despite having the £20 Campag "oil level" tool between the pistons) so the pistons are sticking out too much.

I'll have another go tonight. The level of faff for hydraulics best be worth it!

I feel your pain, rotor rub here too, the loosening "trick" failed here on both my old and new wheels. But mine cures itself when I get out of the saddle for climbs... Usually!

Must order some new pads for my BR505 hydraulics, thinking about ordering one resin and one sintered metal, probably from CRC (£19 before BC discount, if I can get around to finding another £61+ of gear I could do with) to see how the different materials behave. And will then have another play with the rotors during installation, including pushing the pistons back in to accommodate the thicker new pads.

FrenchTart · 31 Aug 2018 at 10:33

UTmaniac said:
I feel your pain, rotor rub here too, the loosening "trick" failed here on both my old and new wheels. But mine cures itself when I get out of the saddle for climbs... Usually!

Must order some new pads for my BR505 hydraulics, thinking about ordering one resin and one sintered metal, probably from CRC (£19 before BC discount, if I can get around to finding another £61+ of gear I could do with) to see how the different materials behave. And will then have another play with the rotors during installation, including pushing the pistons back in to accommodate the thicker new pads.

Don't bother with sintered. They're cack. Semi-metallic are okay but after years of being on discs I'm increasingly leaning towards just using organics and putting up with having to change them more regularly when it's wet.

Roady · 31 Aug 2018 at 12:19

OMGOMGOMG FT! #gush

How's things buddy? I've missed you. More than I've missed grudas.

Saytan said:
£10 for an open pro on a campag chorus hub is why. The hub's still good for a new rim and worth more than a tenner on its own.

Good shout and even better find, another open pro it is then!

Shamrock said:
Yeah, I tried the loosen caliper, hold brake and tighten bolts method but hasn't got rid of the rub so far. I'm worried maybe I put too much fluid in (despite having the £20 Campag "oil level" tool between the pistons) so the pistons are sticking out too much.

I'll have another go tonight. The level of faff for hydraulics best be worth it!

They should self centre but too much fluid can cause it. I've had clearance so tight before with new pads that my yellow Shimano 'spacer' isn't enough - I've removed it and put a sheet or two of bits of paper between caliper and rotor. Might mean there's more lever pull but that doesn't bother me.

They're worth it, this morning I 'progressively' braked my rear (with a single finger), skipping it rather than skidding (while shoulder checking), before a low curb drop from cyclepath to road (with some loose gravel) where I was carrying a little more speed than I should've. Rim brake I'd have needed both levers and quite a bit more force, probably needing to almost totally stop to keep control & shoulder check. Knowing you can kill so much speed/momentum with just a single finger/brake really does give so much confidence. Maybe too much at times - rim brake I'd be carrying less speed & scrubbing it much earlier. 21mph down to 11mph with one finger, skipping the rear wheel with no concern, like any MTB'er!

#Chri5# said:
I only need the lock for 5 to 10 minutes at the hotel where there's no specific bike parking, so I left my bike by the gym reception and lock through the rear wheel to stop somebody riding off with it. The armoured cable lock should be lighter again.

That's the thing - balancing risk against time:weight:expense. There nothing you can lock it to? Picking up a bike with just the wheels locked is pretty easy. But obviously totally down to you, a reception is almost always going to be manned.

Bear · 31 Aug 2018 at 12:43

Roady said:
Providing it fits the little square rear of most Cateye rear lights then it'll be better than what I have (nothing)! Trust me over how much you want for it (+postage) and I'll sort it for you, ta!

I don’t want anything for it, just give me your address and I will post it to you.