Road Cycling

Soldato
Joined
25 Feb 2004
Posts
18,158
Location
Hampshire
Yep. This is exactly what I had about 3 weeks ago and why I stopped using that bike. Though on replacing the cable it's very high tension and pretty useless still. I think outers must need changing too. Weekend job.

I was using di2 bike for last 3 weeks. Still not convinced by it really. While the cable doesn't snap I do seem to only get about 1000 miles out of a charge.

So what a month at most, I would say that's fairly good! Just remember to charge once a fortnight, no problem. I have left my TT bike all winter and it's still full charge even sitting in a cold garage.
 
Soldato
Joined
25 Oct 2006
Posts
5,386
That was like 3 weeks last Summer when I was doing a lot more miles. Just felt odd as I don't even ride in particularly hilly areas so I guess I don't change that much. I just got impression from others it generally lasts a lot longer. It's OK though.
 
Soldato
Joined
22 May 2003
Posts
10,855
Location
Wigan
On the turbo tonight. I didn’t feel like going out.

Someone was killed locally two days ago, hit by a tipper van, experienced cyclist, policeman, on a clear road at 8pm.

Then 80 year old riding a bike killed in Manchester today.

Left me feeling very flat, it then proceeded to smash down rain & my neighbour came home after going out for only 10 minutes.
 
Last edited:
Soldato
Joined
24 Apr 2013
Posts
3,067
After a good while of feeling safer and more at ease I have to admit even I felt very vulnerable and worried on Monday out training.

That feeling of "I shouldn't be on this road I'm annoying the drivers" is a feeling none of us should ever need even contemplate. Yet we do. Constantly.

Friday last week to Monday of this week training is the worst I've felt out there in recent years memory of cycling. The aggression and outrageous behavior is back with a vengeance.

I have always said to friends it seems the more P'd off the general public are with UK life in general the more it comes out and is vented at totally innocent people around others. During peak brexit BS it was evident and now all these cooped up annoyed idiots are back outside and still in some limbo you can see it's being vented. People absolutely suck.
 
Soldato
Joined
23 Nov 2004
Posts
10,646
It's everywhere mate, pedestrians are terrible too.

We were on the cycle path to Balloch at South Street and my mrs got "It's illegal to cycle on the pavement" from a group of women whilst we're stood under a shared use path sign.

Again my mrs saying excuse us to mouth breathers having a meeting with dog leads across the path. She got a reply of "Was that move I heard?" as she moved out the way slowly.

Even today on a quiet back road, we're coming down hill single file towards two women one at either side of the road. My mrs made a hand gesture as to say which way are you moving as they weren't for moving. Dirty looks from both of them.
 

dod

dod

Soldato
Joined
31 Oct 2002
Posts
4,099
Location
Inverness
After a good while of feeling safer and more at ease I have to admit even I felt very vulnerable and worried on Monday out training.

That feeling of "I shouldn't be on this road I'm annoying the drivers" is a feeling none of us should ever need even contemplate. Yet we do. Constantly.

Friday last week to Monday of this week training is the worst I've felt out there in recent years memory of cycling. The aggression and outrageous behavior is back with a vengeance.
I've been staying down the west coast during lockdown and even when the main lockdown was on I had an experience with one driver. I was on a corner and he decided to pass. Something came round the other way and he cut me up pretty closely. I shouted encouragement and he stopped the car. We then encouraged each other a bit more until he threatened to run me down at which point I took his photo and he drove off. I didn't report it, wish I had now.
 
Soldato
Joined
22 May 2003
Posts
10,855
Location
Wigan
Hm, another trainer ride. I did comparison between my Neo and FSA Powerbox now it’s been on a while. Within 1% which is the most accurate of any PM I have out the box. I still had one power drop followed by a doubling of the power ie, went to 0 then 400w but Neo showed a constant 200w.

Anyway, checked and new firmware since I last looked (March) so updated it, there weren’t any notes so I don’t actually know if it’s any better or that’s been addressed.

While I was there watching the crank LED status thought oh that chains not sitting so well on the chainring, let me just measure.... oh. Worn to 1.0 after 2500km! That’s with washing after every wet ride and full mudguards so not much dirt actually gets on the chain.

So..... I don’t really care about efficiency as it’s a winter bike. The Wipperman SX chain seems to be the best, lasting 3-5x longer than anyone else’s. Yes they are double the cost, but that lifespan should pay for itself two or three times over.

I also need a new chain splitter tool as my cheap <£10 exploded last week when I changed the chain over on my other bike.

Is there any benefit to spending more cash on these? The old one was quite small and you had to put a lot of effort or use a small cheater bar to increase leverage on it to break the pins. Recommendations? I’m normally a middle of the road Park Tool type person.
 
Soldato
Joined
23 Nov 2004
Posts
10,646
I can't see past the Park CT5. Had various fancy ones in the workshop but usually just grab one of three of these as they are solid. Replaceable pins too in a pack of 3.
 
Soldato
Joined
25 Oct 2006
Posts
5,386
Don't have to break the pins if you've got quick links :D

Though I often do just because I bought the Park Tool CT3.2 from an LBS when I was naive and didn't realise it wasn't necessary.
 
Soldato
Joined
23 Nov 2004
Posts
10,646
Replacement pins for the chain tool not to join the chain.

You still need to shorten chains using a chain tool surely?


On the road users comments. Local Scottish time trial champion in a crash with a car. Two broken legs, one needing a few surgeries to put right I hear.
 
Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
8,436
Location
Hereford
I've failed spectacularly for one reason and another to do any outside riding all week. Scary how quick it is to slip off the routine! Mrs' is back at going into her work and not WFH so I've probably just been more tired from daddy duties. Change in the weather and gusty winds as the week has drawn on probably hasn't helped me with any incentive. I did a Zwift race on Tuesday which was the last of a warm weather. My last foray into the wilds last weekend ended up with me abandoning a route after I came across a gated road, 2 gates... Which deteriorated into a gravel track totally unrideable on my mostly road tyres. Maybe someone with some CX skills would breeze that, but I was losing traction at low cadence and 250-300W on 15% gravel. I seriously lack off road bike handling skills! Road cleats and slow speed not helping either! ;)

@Saytan @Jonny ///M got a link or remember the name to the stans knockoff/rebranded tubeless tape we where buying and I bought some of 1.5 years ago? I didn't get around to getting some 23/24mm for my 21mm rims (remember I stupidly bought and used 21mm tape!).

I'm really considering changing these Specialized Roubaix tyres now, as after the hole in my rear a few weeks back (switched to tube) noticed the front was flat yesterday. Threw some air in and it seems to be leaking around the valve hole. I know the front hasn't had new sealant in it since Nov '18 so not totally surprised. Have yet to get it off and take a look, but knowing how bad the rear was when I need to take that off (rim warranty) I'll stick some different tyres on rather than trying to remount as tubeless. Probably switch to 28/30mm and go for something a bit speedy then switch back to these Roubaix 32's for the winter?!?!

Although thinking that I have some 28mm GP4000's somewhere. May just stick to them and tubes for a while.

Anyone else with a link/noticed the Hutchinson fusions or just Hutch tyres stocked anywhere at good prices?

These are high enough socks without being proper aero ones surely? Getting a pair of those pongo or whatever they are called aero socks soon.
Average sock length, they look around 6cm? I generally don't go any shorter than that, tending to go for longer but then some 12cm are too high on me so quite a tough one. Also usually find myself between sizes, S are too small and then as I like my socks tight regularly M the heel 'cup' will be heading towards my ankle. :rolleyes:

You'd think in this day and age we'd have the option of sports/cycling socks made to the infinite number of shoe sizes...

What about the Prime Baroudeur? I’m running a set on my winter bike and have been happy so far.
Heard lots of good things about Prime recently, at the budget end of course, but even some wheel builders liking to build with their rims... But I'm sure it's just a way of buying branded chinese carbon. Not that it's a bad thing with the backing of somewhere like Wiggle.

Borg22 Disc from malcolm at the cycle clinic? uses the same kinlin rim as the hunts....
Borgs well recommended.

Meh the more I hear the more I won't touch Hunt wheels.

Have a look here - https://scribecycling.co.uk/
They're popping up more and more on recommendations on the road cycling farcebook groups as a well recommended and backed alternative to Hunts.

Still lots of people love Hunts but I've never jumped on that bandwagon, I just consider they're just well researched, marketed, specced & built otherwise average priced wheels. They really should be what most wheelbuilders should be modelling themselves after as a benchmark these days.

Yup, going Ultegra or DA will do nothing other than cost hundreds, put a fancier badge on the crank to show off and save me less than a micro morning poo's worth of weight. The cassette is 105 also ZOMG.
While we're on the subject of shifting my RD/chain/cassette is getting far more noisy. Noisier than I like as it's beginning to sound like much of the other bikes which have appeared during CV-19.

Cranks and chain really not that worn, 2400 & 800 miles. Cassette 1800 miles. I have my RD down as done just over 7000 miles but I know I changed the pulley wheels on it last year (so less than 3k miles on them). Is it possible for a RD to get 'tired'? Shifting is only slightly sloppy and the noise seems to be coming from the chain/cassette rather than the RD pulleys or alignment.

Also researching rear cameras as I had a silly old Doris nearly run me down the other day pulling off a silly slow overtake right before a traffic island. I was already up to 38mph in the 40 limit, then after cutting me up (pulling in to not hit the island) she put on the brakes so I just ended up flying back down her inside before being able to react. Then once infront I peeled out into the centre of the lane for a proper defence to stop her attempting it again. Muppets everywhere post-lockdown.
GoPro. I'm a Garmin VIRB v1 user and it's a fantastic bit of kit, but when I consider I paid £75 for it nearly 6 years ago and it's recorded every ride since it takes some beating. But I also don't use it for anything else, quality can be poor at times and there's a serious lack of accessories/parts/spares/servicing for it. GoPro has more of those and I would use it for other things. I wouldn't go Cycliq as they seem like a downgrade or sidegrade to what I have for more than twice the money. Also wouldn't go Garmin again for various reasons. Just a shame GoPro dropped the Session as they where a supreme cycling camera.

So I think my Cycle2Work drama/dilema will finally be coming to an end. You may remember I ordered and received an Orbea Gain F20 and with the remaining voucher I ordered a 2019 Boardman HYB 8.8 (worth £700). They've run out of those, so have upgraded me for free to a 2020 Boardman HYB 8.9, worth £1,025! Can't say fairer than that!

You've lucked out again with that, talk about mega result after result with it! You lucky swine! ;) :D

@Lethal` @Berger the park tool chain tool is superb, the plain metal one with a skeleton type handle. Mines several years old, been abused and didn't cost much if I recall. I broke a cheapy one and I think a prendas one before I got it.
 
Last edited:
Soldato
Joined
29 Dec 2004
Posts
16,996
Location
Shepley
I’m going to sell my Cycliq, the hassle of keeping it charged and reporting things only for nothing to be done is not worth it, and it didn’t make me any safer on the roads because if drivers aren’t paying attention or are ******* ********* a rotating red LED is not going to fix that.
 
Soldato
Joined
25 Oct 2006
Posts
5,386
Anyone noticed Garmin battery life with live segments enabled is much poorer?

99% of the time I'm not even using the functionality but of course it is syncing.
 
Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
10,632
Location
Notts
Odd comment from a woman in a parked car as I went by today. Something along the lines of "You should wear lighter clothes". This despite wearing a jersey that's red on the front of the torso, white shoes and a mostly red lid :p

It was also broad daylight and we were on a super quiet, arrow straight country road with about half a mile of visibility. Some people are amusing. Anyone else had any interesting comments made to them lately?
 
Back
Top Bottom