Road Cycling Essentials

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45miles for me this morning and I am a broken man this evening.

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Ive been using Adidas MiCoach on my blackberry to track my rides so far. Had a look at Endomondo today, it gave me a final distance about .2 of a mile shorter, but more strangely the elevation is almost twice as high as it is on MiCoach, which I know is correct, any ideas why?
 
I've had 3 punctures this week, one each day, mainly from big stones or pot holes in the road and I'm getting fed up with it.

I have Conti Ultra Sport 25c tyres and both front and back are at 100psi. Is that enough? Slime. Are these tubes worth it for commuting?
 
If they are pinch punctures from hitting things like potholes rather than punctures from sharp things like glass, stones, etc then i would try putting a bit more pressure in your tyres. 100psi is maybe a little on the soft side, i usually aim for 120psi (check the max for your tyres/wheels first tho).
 
Definitely pinch flats as the tyre goes down very quickly. I'll try putting a little more air in tonight, I thought ~100psi would have been enough though, but I'll see if it helps. The tyre will take 120psi max.

Again though, would slime tubes be an idea for commuting or are they not really worth it for road tyres. They worked well when I used to commute on my mountain bike a few years back.
 
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I don't know anyone who has a good thing to say about slime tubes in a road bike. However, I find them to be excellent on the push chair.

Re; tyre pressure. It's a tough one. Too low and you are likely to get pinch punctures but too high and you are likely to get pointy thing punctures. I tend to aim for 110ps, but then me plus bike plus rucksack is only 85-90kg.
 
Use solid rubber tyres, no more puctures then :D

Just took delivery of my first bit of Rapha kit; I got a jersey in their sale. All I need now is a fixie and a moustache :p
 
[DOD]Asprilla;19908089 said:
I don't know anyone who has a good thing to say about slime tubes in a road bike. However, I find them to be excellent on the push chair.

Re; tyre pressure. It's a tough one. Too low and you are likely to get pinch punctures but too high and you are likely to get pointy thing punctures. I tend to aim for 110ps, but then me plus bike plus rucksack is only 85-90kg.

I was thinking I'd go for 110psi. I'd say total weight for me, plus bike + gear is just over 100kg. How often do you get punctures?

I might just be having an unlucky week with a lot of debris on the road but anything that will help lessen the chances of punctures is good.
 
How often do you get punctures?

I'm not answering that question; it's a sure fire way to attract the attention of the puncture fairy.

Put it this way, I'm changing a tyre before I go home tonight because I've worn though the rubber and down to the threads (a particularly impressive emergency skid last night signalled the death knell for this tyre) and it will be the first time I'll have had this tyre off since I put it on.

Durano S tyres are my weapon of choice, but I'm having to put a Grand Prix 4 Seasons on tonight because no where round work stocks the Duranos.
 
Hi guys,

Do any of you ride a Specialized Allez? I'm thinking of getting one to get into road riding with a friend of mine and just wanted a first-hand account of it. Reviews seem solid for it but just want to double check :)
 
It's an excellent entry road bike. I don't ride one, but a lot of people I know do. You won't find a lot of difference between the offerings from Trek, Giant and Specialized at this price point.

Do, however, also consider the Specialized Secteur. It's basically the same bike but with a longer head tube. People will tell you this gives a more upright and slower position, but that depends on your body shape and in a lot of cases this is actually the more comfortable and quicker choice. Any decent specialized dealer should be able to properly size you up and tell you which one you need.
 
[DOD]Asprilla;19909038 said:
I'm not answering that question; it's a sure fire way to attract the attention of the puncture fairy.

Put it this way, I'm changing a tyre before I go home tonight because I've worn though the rubber and down to the threads (a particularly impressive emergency skid last night signalled the death knell for this tyre) and it will be the first time I'll have had this tyre off since I put it on.

Durano S tyres are my weapon of choice, but I'm having to put a Grand Prix 4 Seasons on tonight because no where round work stocks the Duranos.

Haha, fair enough, tempting fate and all that. Durano S', are they a decent all weather tyre? Conti Ultra Sports are not meant to be great in the wet.
 
Hi guys,

Do any of you ride a Specialized Allez? I'm thinking of getting one to get into road riding with a friend of mine and just wanted a first-hand account of it. Reviews seem solid for it but just want to double check :)
The Allez is pretty much was it say on the tin - cheap, fast and reliable. The Secteur is more comfortable with a longer wheel base & longer headtube so it's a more relaxed position.

To be honest you can't go wrong with any of the major brands. Go for the bike you like most :)
 
Another puncture on the way home, this was after I stopped at Halfords to borrow their track pump to put more air in my tyres. 110 front and maybe 112 in the back, it was the back tyre that punctured.

I give up :D :p
 
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