Road Cycling Essentials

Kimi · 25 Jul 2013 at 15:48

InQ said:
Having a bit of trouble with the front shifting on the Dura Ace 9000 setup i've had for about a week
All of a sudden it wont shift from small to big. The main issue seems to be the shifter itself, rather than feel like its pulling the cable it is just clicking and no cable is being pulled so its stuck in the small chainring. The derailleur itself will move if i use my finger to physically move it or if i pull the cable. I'm starting to think the shifter is knackered!

Any ideas?

http://s1313.photobucket.com/user/duckson/media/VIDEO0027.mp4.html

Similar problem on my Ultegra, i slackened all the cables and reset set the gears from scratch in the end. works ok now

platypus · 25 Jul 2013 at 15:52

I make my own energy drinks and gels out of a nice receipe I adapted from Scott Jurek's energy drinks he uses for ultra runs.

daveski · 25 Jul 2013 at 15:59

Can you share that Platypus?

I'm thinking about doing something similar.

platypus · 25 Jul 2013 at 16:15

daveski said:
Can you share that Platypus?

I'm thinking about doing something similar.

Sure. It's based on an ancient recipe called Iskiate, which the Tarahumara use on their long runs (I found it when getting started in ultra running and reading about Scott using it amongst other people). Really simple to make.

1 glass of water (the thin tall tumblers you get from tesco for about £1 for 4)
1 Tbsp chia seeds
1 fresh lime or lemon juiced

The receipe then calls for a teaspoon of honey but I find that too sweet so don't bother.

All you do then is put the ingredients together and leave for about 15 minutes, the chia seeds soak up a lot of the liquid and produce a weird gel type substance. You can either just drink it - weird consistency but you get used to it, or you can strain the remaining liquid out, add some oats (for carbs) and leave in the fridge in a tray to set, and then cut into energy bars. That's it.

touch · 25 Jul 2013 at 16:16

Sounds interesting. I'v heard of people making their own drinks but i dont think i'v ever seen a homemade gel recipe?

edit: Interesting indeed. Do you not add some salts to it? The seeds dont seem to contain much sodium?

platypus · 25 Jul 2013 at 16:21

Chia seeds are the defacto superfood. So many benefits.

nydryl · 25 Jul 2013 at 16:29

Have you noticed any difference between your homemade gels and standard ones? Better, worse, cheaper? Sounds appealing.

Kimi · 25 Jul 2013 at 16:35

Chia seeds, never heard of them, def going to try this

touch · 25 Jul 2013 at 16:42

Yikes, i think i'll stick to buying gels. £12 for 400g of seeds @ holland+barret

platypus · 25 Jul 2013 at 16:45

nydryl said:
Have you noticed any difference between your homemade gels and standard ones? Better, worse, cheaper? Sounds appealing.

Other than placebo? No. That is to say that I can't prove anything scientifically, but I'm fairly confident that it could be. I know from my own feeling though that on long runs (and rides) I feel better when using these drinks/gels in comparison to bought ones, and I've genuinely felt "fuelled" better.

I feel better because I know what is going into them, and they have 3 ingredients, in comparison with the list you get in bought ones.

platypus · 25 Jul 2013 at 16:46

touch said:
Yikes, i think i'll stick to buying gels. £12 for 400g of seeds @ holland+barret

http://www.amazon.co.uk/grocery/dp/B004BRYZL8

As it gets more popular over here it'll come down in price as well.

arknor · 25 Jul 2013 at 17:00

deleting every post I ever did in this thread

6thElement · 25 Jul 2013 at 17:07

12 quid for a 2lb bag, I guess I can give them a go

arknor · 25 Jul 2013 at 17:25

deleting every post I ever did in this thread

platypus · 25 Jul 2013 at 17:30

arknor said:
what does the gel substance after soaking them in water taste like?

oh bbc had an article about them last year
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17476690

Utterly delicious, it just tastes like fresh lime (or lemon) juice. Only the consistency takes getting used too.

grudas · 25 Jul 2013 at 17:35

arknor said:
Just about to go out on the bike and something about the front wheel doesn't look right.
I checked the tension on the quickrelease and I could push it down with one thumb whilst barely holding the bike

I didn't realise they could become loose overtime?

mine never did..(guess yours just weren't tight in the first place) well one of mine managed to unlock, pull it self out and go for a walk... - or just a chav stole it while trying to rip my rear wheel off and noticing it was locked. BURN.

Shamrock · 25 Jul 2013 at 19:08

Evans are giving out free yellow water bottles if you ask in-store.

uniQ · 25 Jul 2013 at 19:54

Went for a fairly lethargic evening ride. Caught up with a cyclist and decided to see how long I could draft him before he realised anyone was behind him... 4.7mi and when he did notice he nearly went into a bush :eek:

SoliD · 25 Jul 2013 at 20:03

Final training ride of 16 miles this evening before my jaunt from home to Dover for a charity ride on Saturday morning, although I'm only doing the short leg as my mate is starting tomorrow lunch time at Lands End.... :S

jimmynaetroots · 25 Jul 2013 at 20:15

Really enjoying reading this thread! I took up cycling around a year ago by getting myself a hybrid (Specialized Sirrus Sport) mainly for commuting and the odd cycle after work and at the weekend. My fitness and enthusiasm has increased since so much so that I was looking for my first road bike.

As luck may have it, a colleague at work was selling her husband's old bike, which was the right size for me. I only paid £150 for it, and I think I got a bit of a bargain. It already had SPD pedals on which I already use on my other bike, and it also had a cateye wireless computer. It is a 2008 Specialized Allez Sport. So much lighter and faster than the hybrid. Wanted to give it a good blast tonight, but it's been thundering on and off all evening...

Anyway, here it is:

Need to get myself a few bits and pieces (spare tubes, bottle cage etc), but I am really happy with it so far.

G.