Road Cycling Essentials

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GAC said:
just cleaning out wiggle box i got my undershorts in and low and behold a small pack of haribo hiding in the bottom :D
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It's something they have been doing for as long as I can remember now, way before the likes of OCUK were doing it.

It kind of makes sense with Wiggle though, as eating such treats is ideal on the bike and they are never going to end up on your hips when you are using them as fuel.

I ordered a jersey from Pro Bike Kit last week and was surprised how many freebies they gave me. There was a Tour de France keyring, then two envelopes of High5 samples, there was a good few gels, energy drink mixes and recovery items to last a few rides.
 
Just swapped over a new BB and FC (7900 BB and FC-6700 52/39 in grey) on my commuter replacing the older 6600 SL FC. Felt like a new bike riding this morning! The old FC was worn and replacing the chainrings was almost the cost of a new FC.

In the process of removing the old BB, I smashed the Park tool against my shin and created a rather deep cut, as it was seized...
 
Begbie said:
I feel disgusted at myself for asking this :p

But, what's peoples views on the Carrera TDF, it would be used only for some fitness really and the odd 20mile journey to work.

I've no interest in road cycling if I'm honest, but sometimes it would be easier to have a road bike to get out a cycle rather than loading the car up and driving half hour to go mountain biking.
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I have the TdF. It's not a very good bike from stock. Between me and the guy who had it before me we've upgraded the fork to carbon, replaced the chainset and the cassette to get the gearing to a more manageable level, replaced both mechs (due to damage more than anything) and replaced the wheels. For a £300 bike it's probably had about £200 spent on it to get it to a decent standard, and for £500 you could have the Triban 5 and be laughing.

But... for the purposes you want it for, it would do the job.

You'd still be better off with the Triban 3 or going second hand.
 
daveski said:
Friend of mine said might be worth dropping a few teeth as its a steel frame MTB, 42x16 might be a struggle?
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Wow, 32-16 is pretty comical gearing! I think you want a 42 or a 44 up front. I have 48-16 on my 'fast' bike and 46-18 for the winter hack when the weather is bad. You'll want a few clicks down because of the tyre drag and the riding position. 42 is probably going to be most universal, because you can drop down to a 12T on the back or go up to a 21.

Edit: scrub that - freewheels only go down to 16T but you can get up to a 21T. You'll only get fixed gear cogs down to a 12T and there are some special size BMX freewheels smaller than 16T but they have a smaller thread than normal.
 
Jonny69 said:
Edit: scrub that - freewheels only go down to 16T but you can get up to a 21T. You'll only get fixed gear cogs down to a 12T and there are some special size BMX freewheels smaller than 16T but they have a smaller thread than normal.
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It might just be a normal freehub with a single sprocket and some spacer on it?
That frame isnt designed specifically to be singlespeed (hence the need for the tensioner) so it's most likely to be spaced for a normal cassette hub?
 
touch said:
It might just be a normal freehub with a single sprocket and some spacer on it?
That frame isnt designed specifically to be singlespeed (hence the need for the tensioner) so it's most likely to be spaced for a normal cassette hub?
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Is the tensioner the bit that looks like the arm of a derailleur? I assume that's fulfilling a similar role to sprung arm of the derailleur on the basis that the frame has vertical dropouts rather than rear drop outs?
 
Vonhelmet said:
Is the tensioner the bit that looks like the arm of a derailleur? I assume that's fulfilling a similar role to sprung arm of the derailleur on the basis that the frame has vertical dropouts rather than rear drop outs?
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Bang on.

Alternatives you can use to tension the chain are a half-link chain, an eccentric hub or an eccentric bottom bracket.

Edit; or if he was going SS then he could have bought the SS version of the frame with track drop-outs: http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/FROOSD1229/on_one_inbred_29er_slot_dropout
 
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Vonhelmet said:
Is the tensioner the bit that looks like the arm of a derailleur? I assume that's fulfilling a similar role to sprung arm of the derailleur on the basis that the frame has vertical dropouts rather than rear drop outs?
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Yep.
It's hard to tell from the photo what kind of hub he has but i think it's likely to be a normal 8-9-10speed freehub with a single sprocket and some spacers. Which, as Johnny said, gives a good range of options for changing sprockets.
 
Thanks for the comments about the gearing. The guy who I've borrowed the bike from got the frame quite cheap hence why it's not the single speed version.

At the moment it has a Shimano MTB crank arm and I've been unable to find something higher than 38t. If I go 38 on the front what should I look out for on the rear? And should I buy the longest SS chain I can and shorten it?

Long term I would like a SS for commuting but I think I'd be better off with a road bike based one.
 
fire_munki said:
Need to re-tape my bars, is it an easy job? Any recommendations for tape?
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Its by no means difficult. The process is pretty easy, it just takes a bit of patience if you've never done it before.

Done mine a few of times now and I've got quicker each time. I use this stuff: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/easton-cork-bar-tape/. Quite spongy/comfortable and gives a fair amount of grip.
 
Has anyone had problems with a Garmin 800[500] and the cadence sensor? It pairs on boot up, but I get nothing on screen.

Edit: forgot to say I've reset and re-paired it, it's been succesfully picked up etc.
 
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platypus said:
Has anyone had problems with a Garmin 800[500] and the cadence sensor? It pairs on boot up, but I get nothing on screen.
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i have a 500 and not had any trouble with the cadence sensor.

There is a little button on it which is used when pairing them but it should also light up each time the crank magnet passes.

(I assume you have set it to show cadence on screen? it doesnt by default)
 
platypus said:
Has anyone had problems with a Garmin 800[500] and the cadence sensor? It pairs on boot up, but I get nothing on screen.
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Yep. Mine has recently been playing up. It seems as though it is either recoding half of the pedal rotations or nothing at all. Same with the speed sensor. It would read 0mph and think I have come to a stop, even though I was still moving.

I've not really spent any time investigating, so for the time being Ive turned the sensor off.
 
ShiWarrior said:
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
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thanks. you just cost me 57£

seeing as its rapha its worth it

i was given a pair of pro team (not sky) bibs and you could tell the quality straight away. given some gloves too :)
 
touch said:
(I assume you have set it to show cadence on screen? it doesnt by default)
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Yes :p.

topgun06 said:
Yep. Mine has recently been playing up. It seems as though it is either recoding half of the pedal rotations or nothing at all. Same with the speed sensor. It would read 0mph and think I have come to a stop, even though I was still moving.
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I don't get anything, half of the rotations would be a start :p. I've reset and re-paired it a few times, guess I'll try a new battery and then a new unit. Doubt I can get Wiggle to replace it as I bought it ages ago.

I've had no issues with the speed reading, so the unit itself seems ok to me.
 
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