Road Cycling Essentials

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touch said:
Dont be scared of 20/24 spoke wheelsets. I have a few sets of Fulcrum 7s which have never had any issues. I'm not light either, around 85kg just now :eek:
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I'm ~95 kg, from what I've read a higher spoke count will give me a safer peace of mind :p. But then bigger guys I've seen on forums say you don't need 32, smaller guys say you do. I guess it's quality over quantity! Plus I'm assuming it's more to do with having to replace them quicker than catastrophic disaster if they fail?

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/WPPXA57NL/planet-x-a57-new-logo-wheelset

Something like this on the Planet X maybe, if they can do that for me anyway!

Although http://www.merlincycles.com/merlin-malt-r-road-bike-2013-60087.html comes with 28/24.
 
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The problem with low spoke count wheels is if you snap a spoke the wheel will go so out of true it normally won't spin in a road frame.

I had some 20/24's, snapped a spoke in the back and it stranded me. Current wheels are 24/28.
 
Dunks said:
Also, with being a slightly larger than most (~15 stone, although dropping) rider, would I be maybe better going for the Allez due to the spoke count on the default wheelset? Read that sometimes wheels can fail early on and ~32 spoke wheels last longer?
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As someone who weighs quite a bit more than you I can safely say spoke count isn't a big deal on a road bike as long as you're not constantly smashing through pot holes. My Campy Khamsin's are still straight after 3k km.
 
6thElement said:
The problem with low spoke count wheels is if you snap a spoke the wheel will go so out of true it normally won't spin in a road frame.

I had some 20/24's, snapped a spoke in the back and it stranded me. Current wheels are 24/28.
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Depends on the wheel set! :) I snapped front spoke on my r501's a few times and I managed to cycle home 10 miles.. And those had 20 spokes on the front.

Yes for the piece of mind 28+ spokes would be better at 95kg but get the PX bike and kill the original wheel set first :) then IF you need a new one get 28+ set! But 95kg shouldn't be that big of a deal really.. AFAIK most of them are rated up to 105+ :)
 
touch said:
You'll need a cassette tool and a chain whip for removing the cassette.
Handy tools to have and only cost a few pounds each.

edit: some examples - chain whip, cassette tool. £5.99 each, you can find them cheaper if you spend more time looking around.
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Vonhelmet said:
Heh. The cassette does anything but slide off in my experience. You'll need a lockring tool, a chain whip and potentially quite a bit of brute force, depending on how tight the lockring is on and whether whoever put it on last time greased the threads at all.

Gah, beaten.
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Cheers guys. I'd be looking at just getting another wheel and another cassette so I can just swap for summer/winter and for road/turbo.

I don't like the prospect of spending time on it other than riding it.

It's a 10 speed SRAM rival if it helps?
No numbers on the back cassette.
 
I come at it from the other direction; why would you want a low spoke count? What benefit will you get from losing 20 spokes?

I've got one set of wheels that aren't 32/32 and they are 24/28.
 
None.. The fact is that most wheel sets come a 20/24 so if you're buying a complete bike there's a massive chance that you'll have that as your spoke count.

Saving a few grams I'd pointless IMO when you lose some extra strength
 
Just went a bit nuts ordering parts for my (cheap) winter bike.

January sales + low spec parts = win!

Shimano R501 wheel set for £65 delivered!
New chain, cassette, front mech, various tools for £45 delivered
 
[DOD]Asprilla;25607255 said:
Indeed. I'm on the Brompton today and the first thing I did when I got to work was look up shoe covers for civvies shoes and Rain-legs.
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everything I wore soaked through bar the perlizumi jacket! needs to dry out on the outside tho! love it tbh :)

shoes, socks, shorts, undershorts, gloves etc all wet.. ride home will be fun in wet gear!
 
I've got Surface jeans and trousers from Howies and Union34 that are water resistant. Plus my jacket has a pull down bum cover to sitting on a wet saddle doesn't soak you.

Really it's just my shoes and socks that are soaking.
 
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