Road Cycling Essentials

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Also remember to check the bolts from time to time to check that they are still tight. A bolt coming loose on the cleat can be bad news!
 
Sorry fella. If you knew me personally you would call me Fuzz anyway. :-p
It's been my nickname since primary school.
 
Pulled out the bike this morning to go for a ride, only to find a flat rear. On closer inspection there's about an 8mm slice after being cut through my Schwalbe Ultremo ZX and also nicked the tube causing the flat.
Now I've repaired the tube, but am worried about the tyre. Will the slit travel once pumped up to pressure and riding it again? How dangerous is it? I'm about to order a replacement tyre anyway, but this could end up very costly if I've to keep replacing tyres that get shredded!
 
Ultremos are soft racing tyres, they aren't designed for high milage. Get some harder training tyres like Schwalbe Duranos, GP Four Seasons or similar. They will be slightly slower but unless you are a cat2 in a criterium then you won't notice the slightest difference.
 
Personally I'd go for the Durano Plus. Granted they're 340g vs 225g but that's the price you pay for the luxury of not having to change a tube in the dark & rain. They cost roughly the same, so you just have to decide what's more important to you between weight and endurance. I don't have personal experience of either tyre, however both seem to get decent reviews.
 
The Plus is very heavy indeed and feels a bit spongy will never ever puncture (I used them on my fixed as changing a tyre on the in the dark was a total b-ache) whilst I have the S tyres on my weekend wheels. However, you can also get a medium Duranos (neither Plus nor S) which is a middle ground. Not many places stock them unfortunately.

I use them on my commuter.

I'd also recommend Krylion Carbons. I've got some Four Season waiting to go on the commuter soon.
 
cork-spotters said:
I've one other tyre related question: what are the pros and cons of operating at the upper or lower limits of the rated tyre pressure?
Click to expand...

Highest pressure - Less prone to puncture, usually faster

Lowest pressure - more comfortable


I tend to go for highest, purely because i hate punctures.
 
High pressure / fewer punctures isn't exactly right. You are less likely to get pinch punctures but at a high pressure the tyre can't deform around sharp objects. Pressure should be dependant on weight.
 
I know I've been slacking over the past few months, but I'm still shocked at how much harder I am finding cycling now. Not only am I carrying more weight making climbing more difficult, I'm also finding myself getting dehydrated extremely quickly. I guess it's just a matter of conditioning myself again, right? I assume that my body will adjust to the activity in due course if I stick at it...

Sorry, there's no real point to this post other than to register my shock and disgust at how much I've regressed. I'm just hoping that, if I keep plugging away at it, I'll be in good enough shape to enjoy some proper rides this year. The Van Nicholas has only been ridden 30 miles, but I want to save it until I feel as though I deserve to ride it!
 
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