Soldato
Road Cycling Essentials
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Planet X London Road?
Has anyone got a Planet X London Road? I'm looking to replace my HT mountain bike that spends all its life running 37mm touring tyres with the suspension locked out, and the London looks ideal!
I'm 5'9" with a 31"ish inside leg and had a 2012 Defy 4 in medium and that was a good fit, so I think I should be looking at a medium for the London too, but I'm open to expert advice on that one...
Has anyone got a Planet X London Road? I'm looking to replace my HT mountain bike that spends all its life running 37mm touring tyres with the suspension locked out, and the London looks ideal!
I'm 5'9" with a 31"ish inside leg and had a 2012 Defy 4 in medium and that was a good fit, so I think I should be looking at a medium for the London too, but I'm open to expert advice on that one...
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Man of Honour
I don't have a London but it looks like a very nice bike. If you're riding on roads with it I'd swap out the tyres to some 25mm ones though.
My mate finishing 16th at the nationals this year:
http://www.strava.com/activities/187943725/analysis
Cadence is generally about 100.
It'll be getting ridden on the road, fire roads, bridleways, etc, etc, probably better off with wider tyres instead, lol!
Soldato
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Wiggins gets told "Cadence Bradley" thorughout his timetrails from the onboard stuff I've seen, and he aims for 100 at all times
Caporegime
Wiggle posted this on Facebook the other day 
Soldato
I think on a couple of the routes that I've use I could probably do that
But that's after I've done the hilly part! Hoping to get out on Sunday and put in a few miles (maybe 40 odd if I have the time) 
Nice work mate! Getting the miles in like that will certainly be keeping you fit - only a matter of time and you'll be back out
Exactly this, pushing a high gear and grinding it out over long periods (rather than just a hill climb) puts some huge continuous pressure on your tendons. It'll make you a good sprinter able to keep a high speed, but it'll ruin your knees and do hardly anything for your endurance!
I usually have in my mind:
High cadence = cardio = endurance
Low cadence = muscle = sprinting
Unsure how accurate that is, but my 'happy' cadence is around 88/92, I find I can push it regardless how tired I'm feeling or what terrain I'm riding, if I can find my cadence I can just slog it out regardless how long/far it is
Caporegime
This looks pretty sweet: Genesis Volare 40 with Campagnolo groupset. If they only had a Campag chainset on there instead of an FSA one...
Caporegime
Exactly this, pushing a high gear and grinding it out over long periods (rather than just a hill climb) puts some huge continuous pressure on your tendons. It'll make you a good sprinter able to keep a high speed, but it'll ruin your knees and do hardly anything for your endurance!
I usually have in my mind:
High cadence = cardio = endurance
Low cadence = muscle = sprinting
Unsure how accurate that is, but my 'happy' cadence is around 88/92, I find I can push it regardless how tired I'm feeling or what terrain I'm riding, if I can find my cadence I can just slog it out regardless how long/far it is
Road printing is high cadence and high gear
Track sprinting is ludicrous cadence and not quite as high gear. Road sprinters will go well over 100 on a sprint finish, and track sprinters can get above 150.As for optimal cadence - yeah, that's the idea. Find a cadence you can manage easily and then use your gears to maintain that. The only time your cadence drops significantly should be on a climb that's steep enough to significantly slow you down even in your bottom gear.
That's great, nice find. Dia Compe do a pair of non-indexed ones but I really wanted indexed shifting and I think with a bit of fettling I could do it. That diagram is exactly what I was hoping to see. I think I just need to modify the thickness of the 6-speed indexing ring behind the shifter which goes over the square boss and it'll fitIt looks like it in this image (from parktool):
Never taken mine apart though so I dont know if they are all like that.
You could use a front derailleur shifter. They are non-indexed but i'm not sure if it would have the range to do a 6 speed derailleur.
Soldato
Spinning is winning:
http://www.strava.com/activities/191797209
http://www.strava.com/activities/186684257
http://www.strava.com/activities/191797209
http://www.strava.com/activities/186684257
Soldato
I'm not much of a spinner, something I probably need to work on.
Just looking at my cycling stats, assuming my maths is correct, I've cycled for 96 minutes every day this year. Over 3 weeks on a bike!
Just looking at my cycling stats, assuming my maths is correct, I've cycled for 96 minutes every day this year. Over 3 weeks on a bike!
Not upgraded. My HR monitor started giving dodgy readings a long time ago. A battery change didn't help. Speaking of upgrades, I'd like to get the new GMS070 speed cadence sensors but the price is just stupid. So currently my Garmin is running without speed, cadence and HR sensors.
Will need to ask Santa for these
Will need to ask Santa for these
Underboss
that's good , well done mate
for me, I'm 36, with asthma, high metabolism (if that makes any difference)
ride 3 times a week at the moment, in summer ive been known to do up to 5 in a week
hoping when the weather improves to go out 4 times a week at least
Underboss
Not upgraded. My HR monitor started giving dodgy readings a long time ago. A battery change didn't help. Speaking of upgrades, I'd like to get the new GMS070 speed cadence sensors but the price is just stupid. So currently my Garmin is running without speed, cadence and HR sensors.
Will need to ask Santa for these
which strap are you using ? the Garmin one or the polar one ? (im assuming your using a garmin edge)
Underboss
yes, the garmins aren't that good
here you go, read this :
http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2010/08/solution-to-heart-rate-dropoutsspikes.html
Soldato
Seems a common thing tbh, a lot of guys I know on the track are grinding away on 90 inch plus gears (51 front, 15 back ish) when elite track riders will be using 86" or smaller in a 6 day race, and spinning that up to 40mph in the sprints (150ish rpm).
Obviously track is a different beast to the road but I think most people's riding would benefit from working on cadence and pedaling technique. It's easy to neglect and I include myself in that.
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