Road Cycling Essentials

[InsomniaCalls]

By this i assume you mean, stand up and peddle, as opposed to get off the bike and run (which ironically, being a runner for a couple of years now, would probably be quicker). I do this on the two steepest hills, but will try doing so on some of the more shallow ones too.

I've just looked at some videos and it seems i've got my saddle WAY too low. I can touch the ground with my toes while on the saddle, but it looks like I should have it higher and shift off of it every time i need to stop. Sounds like a lot of hassle at traffic lights but better that than a leg injury due to a bad saddle height.

You'll get far more power into your pedalling if you have a correctly adjusted saddle. You want to have your leg roughly 90% extended with your pedal at the 6 o'clock position.

 

[Streeteh]

You'll get far more power into your pedalling if you have a correctly adjusted saddle. You want to have your leg roughly 90% extended with your pedal at the 6 o'clock position.

Will have a look at that tomorrow morning, thanks.

 

[Fuzz]

Will have a look at that tomorrow morning, thanks.

 

[Jonny ///M]

Looked into getting some proper clothing today as I'm now dying of a cold

Gonna get in black

105 pedals in black, a few vanguard vests Or castelli base layers,Santini primo 365 bibshorts,cheapo outer edge bib tights and various jerseys + a altura transformer windproof. Will use my altura airstream overshoes and need to decide on what gloves to get buy I like the look of the castelli dilluvio.

 

[George Hincapie]

Looked into getting some proper clothing today as I'm now dying of a cold

Gonna get in black

105 pedals in black, a few vanguard vests Or castelli base layers,Santini primo 365 bibshorts,cheapo outer edge bib tights and various jerseys + a altura transformer windproof. Will use my altura airstream overshoes and need to decide on what gloves to get buy I like the look of the castelli dilluvio.

Lake shoes are nice. I tried their top end model before settling on my Sidi Ergo 2 Carbon shoes. The leather used in the Lake shoes is very nice

I'm going to look at the Castelli gloves myself. Where are you getting yours from?

 

[Scougar]

Don't slow down for anything, including traffic lights and junctions.

Which makes all cyclists look bad.

Nice seat height vid. Gonna raise my seat a bit! (as I can put my feet flat on the pedals )

 

[Fuzz]

Just checked my seat height using details from that vid and I am within 15mm and I guessed it via "how it felt".
I think I'll leave well alone.

 

[Jonny ///M]

Lake shoes are nice. I tried their top end model before settling on my Sidi Ergo 2 Carbon shoes. The leather used in the Lake shoes is very nice

I'm going to look at the Castelli gloves myself. Where are you getting yours from?

From saddleback as that's who we buy them from as a shop

The likes of the altura windproofs/night visions are just too bulky for me as I like to feel the bars so that's why I like the Castellis as they mould quite tightly around my hands.

Re the shoes I was looking at the Shimano RO87 as that was the first velcro/buckle shoe shimano did but it's out of stock until 10th of January so having to look into these lakes. I likes the feel of my mates CX236s that he got before.

Either that or I could get a bank loan and buy some Bont shoes from saddleback.

 

[Scougar]

Just checked my seat height using details from that vid and I am within 15mm and I guessed it via "how it felt".
I think I'll leave well alone.

Why don't you try that 15mm difference and see how you get on? I was riding a (borrowed) downhill bike across the moors at the weekend for 19 miles and I can tell you the wrong adjustments gave my right hip a fair bit of pain until I got it a high as I dared right it (And it still was way too low ).

 

[George Hincapie]

From saddleback as that's who we buy them from as a shop

The likes of the altura windproofs/night visions are just too bulky for me as I like to feel the bars so that's why I like the Castellis as they mould quite tightly around my hands.

Re the shoes I was looking at the Shimano RO87 as that was the first velcro/buckle show shimano did but it's out of stock until 10th of January so having to look into these lakes. I likes the feel of my mates CX236s that he got before.

Either that or I could get a bank loan and buy some Bont shoes from saddleback.

Bont? Who do you think you are? Russell Downing?

It was the Lake CX401s I looked at, really nice but couldn't find a competent shop to do the heat moulding, so steered clear. May look at them again in the future though, as they're apparently the shoes that the tour guides wear on the Etape etc.

 

[Jonny ///M]

Bont? Who do you think you are? Russell Downing?

It was the Lake CX401s I looked at, really nice but couldn't find a competent shop to do the heat moulding, so steered clear. May look at them again in the future though, as they're apparently the shoes that the tour guides wear on the Etape etc.

Sadly not! Some of the local bunch think they are racing a stage of the tour it seems though.

What sort of 'slow bunch' batter it along at 23mph average speed when a guy on the back is a newcomer to the run and drop him halfway round a 60 mile run If that didn't put him off cycling then power to him.

 

[Fuzz]

Why don't you try that 15mm difference and see how you get on? I was riding a (borrowed) downhill bike across the moors at the weekend for 19 miles and I can tell you the wrong adjustments gave my right hip a fair bit of pain until I got it a high as I dared right it (And it still was way too low ).

I've done 300 miles on the bike without any pain (other than bruised arse cheeks) so "that'll do".

 

[Jonny ///M]

I've done 1600 since the start of August

I think I've probably said a lot less swear words than you have though

 

[Mr Flibble]

I got back on my bike for the first time today since my spill 12 days ago. My arm is now a giant scab, my chest and hip still hurt, but it was great to be on the bike. I was so timid around corners though and felt really wobbly - it might take a while to get my confidence back.

Sadly, it turns out that as well as ruining my favourite gloves, I ground the ratchet fastener on my shimano RT81s (SPD cleat road-esque shoes) while I was removing chunks of my skin on the road and destroyed it. So now I need new shoes too. Thinking of moving to a proper road cleat at the same time, but I do have to take a few steps and climb 3 flights of stairs with my bike when I get to work.

Any suggestions? Anyone got experience with Kool Kovers?

 

[Streeteh]

a altura transformer windproof

I got one of those at the weekend. It's excellent but i will warn you it's much warmer than it looks! I wore that and a base layer for yesterdays commute and was boiling by the end of it.

 

[Streeteh]

Just got in from my morning commute after following that saddle height video. What a difference! Turned out my saddle was over 7cm too low, with it heightened not only was pedalling easier, but my knees hurt less, i had more power output and i felt far more balanced. As a result my commute time dropped by 1min (from approx 19:30 to 18:30) and i got stuck in traffic so i was actually going much faster than before. I generally found i took a gear higher than i normally did for the whole journey.

Nearly fell over at traffic though as i forgot i couldn't reach the floor with my feet anymore though.

 

[[DOD]Asprilla]

I've done 300 miles on the bike without any pain (other than bruised arse cheeks) so "that'll do".

15mm is a huge difference in saddle height, I'd move it 5mm and see how you get on.

 

[[DOD]Asprilla]

Any suggestions? Anyone got experience with Kool Kovers?

No experience of those, but I use Look Keos. They do two kinds; a rubberised one that you can walk in and a standard one that requires a cleat cover to walk any distance in.

I use the standard ones with cleat covers as I find them to last much longer. The regular touching down when commuting just destroys the rubber on the others. Besides the standard ones are much cheaper.

When I get to work I've got to walk up a 30m polished concrete slope; no chance in cleats, but easy in cleat covers.

 

[Mr Flibble]

Thanks [DOD]Asprilla. The cleat covers, do you put them on when you get off your bike, or do they stay attached all the time? (I'm guessing the former)

 

[platypus]

Just got an email saying L'Etape registration is open.

Hum...