Road Cycling Essentials

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I'm not sure if any of you guys have seen this, but this looks pretty handy - turn by turn directions for a Garmin 500. The website has similar instructions for other Garmin devices as well. You can create a route using ridewithgps or similar and then download it as a tcx file, copy it to your Garmin and then run it as a course.

It's not like full on turn by turn with a Garmin 800 or Garmin Touring, and it doesn't have a map, and it won't re-route if you go off course, but it'll do the job for giving you a course to follow if you're going somewhere new.

I'm going to give it a try tomorrow or Friday and see how I get on with following a course made in this way.
 
Vonhelmet said:
I'm not sure if any of you guys have seen this, but this looks pretty handy - turn by turn directions for a Garmin 500. The website has similar instructions for other Garmin devices as well. You can create a route using ridewithgps or similar and then download it as a tcx file, copy it to your Garmin and then run it as a course.

It's not like full on turn by turn with a Garmin 800 or Garmin Touring, and it doesn't have a map, and it won't re-route if you go off course, but it'll do the job for giving you a course to follow if you're going somewhere new.

I'm going to give it a try tomorrow or Friday and see how I get on with following a course made in this way.
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Yeah that's what I do with mine. I'm knocking some up for Majorca at the mo. Anyone got any routes on strava they can link me I can poach decent sections from?
 
FrenchTart said:
Can anyone remind me of the name of the guy on ebay that is good for cables? I need to replace the inners and outers on my brakes asap...and probably the pads tbh - what is an expected mileage for disc pads (TRP)?

edit: Whilst we're at it, any suggestions for half-decent bar tape that is totes cheap?

edit2: Is it Jagwire stuff that is cheap and decent for cable inners/outers?
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Always use this place;
http://stores.ebay.co.uk/STARCYCLESPARES/_i.html?_nkw=jagwire&submit=Search&_sid=848360372

Vonhelmet said:
Talk to me about saddles.

I've gone from a Carrera saddle on my TDF (though I think it's actually the stock saddle from a Carrera vanquish fwiw) to a 4ZA Stratos saddle on my new Planet-X bike and after ten or so miles I feel like my perineum has been hammered by an embittered dominatrix. Is there anything I can do with my current saddle - fore/aft, or tilting it? - or is it time for a new saddle? If so, what do I look for? And how do I know what's going to suit me?
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Fizik Arione on mine, perfect for me. Circa £50 new.

Vonhelmet said:
I'm not sure if any of you guys have seen this, but this looks pretty handy - turn by turn directions for a Garmin 500. The website has similar instructions for other Garmin devices as well. You can create a route using ridewithgps or similar and then download it as a tcx file, copy it to your Garmin and then run it as a course.

It's not like full on turn by turn with a Garmin 800 or Garmin Touring, and it doesn't have a map, and it won't re-route if you go off course, but it'll do the job for giving you a course to follow if you're going somewhere new.

I'm going to give it a try tomorrow or Friday and see how I get on with following a course made in this way.
Click to expand...

Use it all the time.

If you just use the TCX from ridewithgps you will only get turn prompts when right on top of the turning or a smidge after.
What i do is import the TCX from ridewithgps (as its nice to use and you can save your routes) into bikehike.co.uk as you can add a turn warning prompt so you get a turn prompt before the turning! I use 300ft which is perfect in general. You can also do this in ridewithgps but you have to pay a subscription.
Just save it as a TCX again and then load onto the Garmin in the newfiles.
 
My Arione Versus is the one that comes closest to making me feel like James Bond when Le Chiffre has him tied to that chair.

When I did the Dragon in 2011 on a standard Arione I couldn't feel my danglies when I got to the top of the B'wich. I've not done any climbs that hard since so the Versus might be better.

My other saddles (Selle Italia Flite Gelflow, Brooks Swallow and Selle San Marco Rolls) all feel much more comfortable but until I go out and do the same sort of ride on them I won't know.
 
InQ said:
Use it all the time.

If you just use the TCX from ridewithgps you will only get turn prompts when right on top of the turning or a smidge after.
What i do is import the TCX from ridewithgps (as its nice to use and you can save your routes) into bikehike.co.uk as you can add a turn warning prompt so you get a turn prompt before the turning! I use 300ft which is perfect in general. You can also do this in ridewithgps but you have to pay a subscription.
Just save it as a TCX again and then load onto the Garmin in the newfiles.
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Awesome, great stuff. :D
 
I find navigating hard enough with the map I don't know how you guys manage with turn by turn.

the one time I had turn by turn enabled the ride I created had all the turns reversed lol
 
Kimi said:
Thats a great deal, wheres that mate?
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Bought mine a while back and cant remember where from exactly but these are cheap, new and UK based;

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FIZIK-ARI...cycling_bikeparts_SR&var=&hash=item58a76a7423

topgun06 said:
Awesome, great stuff. :D
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No probs.
In ridewithgps I usually edit out some turnings to remove them from the cuesheet as it can add in some turnings which arent turnings exactly (eg 90 deg road bend). Use streetview on ridewithgps to see if you need to remove it or not....if i'm staying on the same road i dont usually have a turn prompt set up.

arknor said:
I find navigating hard enough with the map I don't know how you guys manage with turn by turn.

the one time I had turn by turn enabled the ride I created had all the turns reversed lol
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Its not hard, you leave the 500 on the normal speed/distance/whatever screen you use and it bleeps and a little prompt pops up on screen to tell you to turn left or right or go straight on (eg crossroads).
 
Vonhelmet said:
Talk to me about saddles.

I've gone from a Carrera saddle on my TDF (though I think it's actually the stock saddle from a Carrera vanquish fwiw) to a 4ZA Stratos saddle on my new Planet-X bike and after ten or so miles I feel like my perineum has been hammered by an embittered dominatrix. Is there anything I can do with my current saddle - fore/aft, or tilting it? - or is it time for a new saddle? If so, what do I look for? And how do I know what's going to suit me?
Click to expand...
You need to decide what type of saddle suits you as we're all different underneath. If your perineum is taking a battering then you might need a saddle with a wider or flatter nose. An example of a narrow pointy nose on a saddle is a Flite, wider and rounder would be like you get on a Selle Regal, like that but wider and with a bit more padding would be a Rolls, and flat on the top would be something like a San Marco Ponza. Also think about whether you sit more at the back of your bum or on your perineum to help you choose the shape of the rear of the saddle, whether it is narrow or wide and flat and whether you need padding on it or not.

You don't really need padding if your saddle fits you, but it helps a lot and can help if it isn't perfect and it often isn't. I don't need padding if I ride with my Brooks simply because, although it's rock hard, it fits me perfectly and spreads the load evenly.

FrenchTart said:
How is your general cycle position? If you have a bad (too aggressive) set up you'll probably be leaning forward too much, which will put more pressure on your perineum.
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I don't completely agree with that. A well fitting saddle will not put pressure on your bits if you're low at the front.
 
Got my tickets for the tour team presentation. I know Welcome to Yorkshire have had criticism about charging for it, but after seeing how slick the 100 days to the tour was I think they will do a good job, and its probably the only one I'll ever go to! Anyone else going?
 
booyaka said:
Sunshine in the sky, early finish from work - is it possible ?? Short and short sleeves???? Maybe not quiet short sleeves but getting close!
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I've been enjoying short sleeves and shorts on the way home for a few weeks now, but then I run warm.

This week I've been using my Carradice saddle bag so I don't even have a rucksack. Bliss.
 
I'm hoping for good news in the next couple of days about a new job, so I'm thinking of going out tonight to give the route there and back a go. 11.5 miles each way, nice and flat...

If things go ahead, I'll be looking to pick up a rack and pannier bags. Is there anything particular I need to know about those? My old Carrera TdF has rack mounts on the seatstays, so I should be good to go on that front.
 
Sagalout said:
Got my tickets for the tour team presentation. I know Welcome to Yorkshire have had criticism about charging for it, but after seeing how slick the 100 days to the tour was I think they will do a good job, and its probably the only one I'll ever go to! Anyone else going?
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I should be in the grandstand for the finish of Stage 1 in Harrogate.:D
 
Jonny69 said:
I don't completely agree with that. A well fitting saddle will not put pressure on your bits if you're low at the front.
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If you're leaning forward you're putting extra pressure at the front. A well-fitted saddle will mitigate this but it's a simple fact that there will be more pressure 'down there' when your body is at that angle rather than a more upright (well, 45 degree, give or take) position).

I'm not saying that it will be excessive or anything but if someone has a bad set up with their handlebar height/etc they will be leaning too far forward and putting pressure on areas of their body (even with a well set up seat) that they otherwise wouldn't do.
 
took my broken bolt to halfords and they are giving me a new seat post under warranty but they probably won't have one until next week :|

Pity they couldn't just steal the bolt from one of the bikes in the shop.... or give me a seatpost from one
 
FrenchTart said:
If you're leaning forward you're putting extra pressure at the front. A well-fitted saddle will mitigate this but it's a simple fact that there will be more pressure 'down there' when your body is at that angle rather than a more upright (well, 45 degree, give or take) position).

I'm not saying that it will be excessive or anything but if someone has a bad set up with their handlebar height/etc they will be leaning too far forward and putting pressure on areas of their body (even with a well set up seat) that they otherwise wouldn't do.
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This in turn comes down to your hip/hamstring flexibility. If you have restricted flexibility, as you lean forward to the bars your pelvis rotates forward lifting your sitbones and increasingly pressure on your "soft tissue". Some hip flexor/glute/hamstring stretching will help.
 
Some different Strava challenges this month, all falling in perfect timing for my charity ride! Should be able to complete all 3 (Gran Fondo, Climbing and Skatch Labs) in one weekend :D
 
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