Road Cycling Essentials

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Unlucky Asprilla! Can't be cheap :(

Looking at the Trek 1.2, Special Allez and Boardman Road Bike Comp they all seem pretty similar, however the Boardman has the Tiagra shifters which are meant to be much better.

The only issue I really need to consider is if I can cope with a double or compact chainset which I'm going to go and test this weekend if I can find a decent local shop. The Boardman is a compact and I think might be just the ticket but I will have to try it against a double. There is always the oppertunity to upgrade down the line but that could lead to an expensive hobby!

I'm also interested in footwear. My neighbour cycles a bit and wears cleats. Seeing as I remove my footwear at work anyway, would it be a good advantage to use them?
 
Jeeze. I've been lucky so far in my Pro 3s so far, touch wood.

@Dup: Cycling shoes (with cleats) will improve your cycling, and if you get them fitted (or get your float right) should improve your technique too.

And yes, there is always the option to upgrade. Welcome to a life with less money ;).
 
[DOD]Asprilla;17150549 said:
4 punctures in 8 days is annoying.
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Yeah, I've ridden about 3000 miles without a puncture this year, then did a 75 miler at the weekend and got 2 in the same ride. Luckily I didn't get a third as I only ever carry 2 spare tubes and CO2 cartridges. Might start carrying a minipump and repair kit as backup. It wasn't a nice feeling being 40 miles from home knowing I had no more replacements!
 
platypus said:
A cateye micro wireless won't set you back much and it's a good little computer, I use it. It doesn't have Cadence and Elevation, but everything else. The "dream" of most cyclists is a Garmin 705, but they're a whole lotta money.
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Well, I have had a look at the Cateye and the Garmin.
For Maps, I have an old PDA which has CoPilot install with a walking mode.
So I might be OK using that for MAPS, though it is I am sure out of date with some of the new roads.
At the weekend I will pop into Halfords & some Cycle shops to check out te Cateye.

Just to let people know I have a Chris Boardman Hybrid Team, which is a great bike. It replaces my old Rayleigh Racer 18 speed which I purchased for £199 when I was 15 years old ! !
 
Sagalout said:
Yeah, I've ridden about 3000 miles without a puncture this year, then did a 75 miler at the weekend and got 2 in the same ride. Luckily I didn't get a third as I only ever carry 2 spare tubes and CO2 cartridges. Might start carrying a mini-pump and repair kit as backup. It wasn't a nice feeling being 40 miles from home knowing I had no more replacements!
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the park patches are a good space saving alternative to carrying a puncture repair kit, how many cartridges you carry is a difficult one though - I've started taking three for longer rides but only carry one inner tube and patches...
 
As siliconslave says, park patches are a life saver. I'm now down to my last couple of spare tubes so I think Saturday or Sonday evening is going to be spent patching the big back of punctured tubes I've got sitting in the garage.

I'm obviously very attractive to the puncture fairy. I hear stories of folks using the same tyres as me who haven't had punctures for years. I think they employ a number of cycle butlers to sweep the road ahead of them.
 
The Shutt shorts seem spot-on, so I'll keep them.

I'll have spent more money on postage than I have on kit soon. I suppose the lesson is that whilst the LBS might charge RRP, I can try on the assorted sizes and not spend half my life queuing in the Post Office to send stuff back.

My other hassle is trying to find work trousers that fit me. I'm around a 34" waist but I ended up needing a 38" waist just to get something that will fit over my legs :rolleyes:
 
fluiduk said:
I would love to get some proper cycling shorts, bibs and jerseys, but more work is needed before I dare don lycra :)
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Why? You don't have to be uber fast to wear lycra lol. It's much more comfortable it's not a status symbol or anything, it's the best thing for riding bikes and dare I say I'm faster in Lycra because not of aero dynamic properties but because I am so much more comfortable.
 
I recently bought a Trek 1.2 and it is the first time I've had drop handlebars. Are there tips for what hand positions are best out of the 4 or 5 possible positions?

I've tried using the drops but I feel a bit anxious coming in and out of them because it feels difficult to not turn the front wheel while doing so. Is there a particular technique for going in out and out of drops?

Also I've found that with these types of handlebars I have a bit of difficulty signaling as it is a lot easier to turn the handlebar and go off course with one hand. Again, is there a particular grip I should adopt to maximise control? Some of the roads here can be a bit bumpy and I want to be able to signal to drivers what my intentions are on the busy roads.
 
[DOD]Asprilla;17192023 said:
The most comfortable and safest grip is to have your hands on the hoods of the levers. It's the most natural and neutral hand position and allows you to also cover the brakes.
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This.
Also, you'll soon get the hang of switching between tops and drops, it takes a bit of getting used to. Start off by doing one hand at a time and keeping the bars stable with the hand that your not moving.
 
Well I just sent off for my £800 voucher. I think I've pretty much settled on the Boardman Road Comp at £699 with the compact chainset Tiagra/105.

Will probs get a helmet and some other bits with the extra £100 I tagged on and wouldn't mind a decent cycle computer. Not sure about clothing yet, will have to try some gear on and see what I feel like :)
 
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