Road Cycling Essentials

Vonhelmet · 21 Jul 2013 at 20:15

shez said:
I'm about to buy a new road bike as my Kona Paddy Wagon got knicked and I am moving to the south west.
I'm a bit undecided on which bike to go for. I have seen a Genesis Volant for £600 which looks nice, but it is heavy bike at 9.7kg. The main alternative I have shortlisted would be a Canyon aluminium for about £870, which on paper is better in all departments other than looks IMO. I'm going for a test ride of the genesis this week, but I don't think I will be able to try the Canyon. What are peoples thoughts?

My thoughts are that the Volant paintjobs are pure sex, especially the Volant 10.

VeNT · 21 Jul 2013 at 20:54

shez said:
I'm about to buy a new road bike as my Kona Paddy Wagon got knicked and I am moving to the south west.
I'm a bit undecided on which bike to go for. I have seen a Genesis Volant for £600 which looks nice, but it is heavy bike at 9.7kg. The main alternative I have shortlisted would be a Canyon aluminium for about £870, which on paper is better in all departments other than looks IMO. I'm going for a test ride of the genesis this week, but I don't think I will be able to try the Canyon. What are peoples thoughts?

I'd ride a Volant before you buy one (or not) as they are EPIC BIKES AND EVERYONE SHOULD OWN ONE!
having said that they can be a little under spec'ed, not wanting to go 2nd hand?

shez · 21 Jul 2013 at 21:02

It's a Volant 20, so not the worst spec in the world, I'm just a bit put off by the weight. But it does look v.sexy so someone will probably try and nick it again

. I guess I will just have to give a test ride and go from there.

[DOD]Asprilla · 21 Jul 2013 at 21:11

9.7kg is fine. I'd be surprised if my Ti bike was much less than that.

A reasonably priced carbon bike would be 8kg. Genesis current range is great.

grudas · 21 Jul 2013 at 21:17

[DOD]Asprilla;24644274 said:
9.7kg is fine. I'd be surprised if my Ti bike was much less than that.

A reasonably priced carbon bike would be 8kg. Genesis current range is great.

exactly.. my bike is around that now and it doesn't bother me..

end of the year i might be looking at getting a CX bike, but id love 105 groupo with it... can't see that happening for a grand tho

One More Solo · 21 Jul 2013 at 21:21

Hi guys - I'm back. Miss me?

Enjoyed some good rides in France and got to see two of the Tour stages. Riding up the Alpe the day before the stage was a definite highlight. My time was somewhere between 65 and 67 mins (Bryton/phone times vary) so hoping to crack the hour next year. Got overtaken by a couple of kids who were just incredible - future pros! Also rode the final two climbs of Friday's stage on the day prior to watching which was good fun.

Definitely made the Rapha Rising challenge a bit easier though.

touch · 21 Jul 2013 at 21:24

grudas said:
end of the year i might be looking at getting a CX bike, but id love 105 groupo with it... can't see that happening for a grand tho

Planet-X Uncle John with sram rival is £999.

Darryl_1983 · 21 Jul 2013 at 21:27

I've just bought an Eddy Merckx AMX-1 for £600 from Winstanley Bike. It's a 2012 model with 10 speed tiagra groupset and shimano RS10 wheelset. Reduced from £1000.

I thought it was pretty good for the price, might be worth looking at. Note though that the sizing is a little funny. Im roughly a 58 on most bikes, I'm a 51 on this

Vonhelmet · 21 Jul 2013 at 21:39

Wow, the weather forecast for the next 10 days pretty much sucks.

I think I'll head out tomorrow night to try to catch the last of the dry weather.

[DOD]Asprilla · 21 Jul 2013 at 21:40

Oops.

95282279-600D-4D02-B2BD-722A21534EC0-6994-00000566756C0C92_zpsa2e76a00.jpg

Vonhelmet · 21 Jul 2013 at 21:46

[DOD]Asprilla;24644414 said:
Oops.

Oops indeed. Googling for Cervelo Wolf throws up a whole load of articles about those forks being recalled. I assume you've made sure those ones aren't affected?

EDIT: It looks like it's only the SL forks, which those are not.

ShiWarrior · 21 Jul 2013 at 21:50

One More Solo said:
Hi guys - I'm back. Miss me?

Enjoyed some good rides in France and got to see two of the Tour stages. Riding up the Alpe the day before the stage was a definite highlight. My time was somewhere between 65 and 67 mins (Bryton/phone times vary) so hoping to crack the hour next year. Got overtaken by a couple of kids who were just incredible - future pros! Also rode the final two climbs of Friday's stage on the day prior to watching which was good fun.

Definitely made the Rapha Rising challenge a bit easier though.

welcome home

[DOD]Asprilla · 21 Jul 2013 at 21:54

Vonhelmet said:
Oops indeed. Googling for Cervelo Wolf throws up a whole load of articles about those forks being recalled. I assume you've made sure those ones aren't affected?

EDIT: It looks like it's only the SL forks, which those are not.

Yeah, checked with the seller first. This won't be my first S1 so I know their history.

Vonhelmet · 21 Jul 2013 at 21:59

[DOD]Asprilla;24644484 said:
Yeah, checked with the seller first. This won't be my first S1 so I know their history.

How many bikes does this take you up to now?

[DOD]Asprilla · 21 Jul 2013 at 22:08

Vonhelmet said:
How many bikes does this take you up to now?

Depends. If you know my wife then it's five.

If you don't then it's seven.

However, technically that's just a frame, my hybrid is in bits, my CX is missing a rear mech, my Scott has a knackered BB and the Brompton has a puncture.

So that brings it down to two.

ShiWarrior · 21 Jul 2013 at 22:17

Evans are celebrating SKYs win, and is now offering 15% off ALL sky gear

and I just went through quidco, to get a code for a further 10% off, jersey cost me £57 as opposed to £75

godinman · 22 Jul 2013 at 07:05

Spent the weekend helping out as part of my mates support crew for the 24 hour TT, fair play to the lad, his first time and he managed over 370 miles! I managed 1 hours sleep and didn't get home until 8 last night, enjoyable weekend overall tho.

platypus · 22 Jul 2013 at 07:58

Saundie said:
I wouldn't ordinarily care that much, it's just that it was my first century ride, and I would have liked to have had it recorded properly. Anyway, I did the Dunwich Dynamo this year, here's the bit of the ride the Garmin bothered to record - obviously I started at the same place everybody else did in London!

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/345931277

Observations; riding with lots of strangers is bloody hard work, and riding at night with lots of other people is surreal. I rode some of the way with oddjob62, but unfortunately he didn't have a good time of it. I doubt very much I'll do something like the DD again, but I'll probably do some more night riding as it's so much nicer not having to deal with traffic.

Looks like a damned nice ride, and a good time that Saundie, congrats dude.

platypus · 22 Jul 2013 at 08:08

Touring bikes: am I best of going for steel rather than aluminium?

Saytan · 22 Jul 2013 at 08:22

platypus said:
Touring bikes: am I best of going for steel rather than aluminium?

I'd say so. mainly because steel buzzes less, but also because almost any village forge can bodge a steel frame back together if you're stuck in the butt end of nowhere on tour with a broken frame

plus of course, steel is cooler than aluminium