Road Cycling Essentials

physichull · 5 Feb 2015 at 20:00

Stupid question here, but I guess its only trivial if you actually know the answer!

But, my Defy has a KMC X10L chain on it and I am looking to replace it. I can't find the exact same chain on Wiggle, so would the KMC X10EL also be ok? It seems like it would be.

ShiWarrior · 5 Feb 2015 at 20:12

grudas said:
hah! cool didn't see this posted!

which video is yours mate?

Vonhelmet · 5 Feb 2015 at 20:14

physichull said:
Stupid question here, but I guess its only trivial if you actually know the answer!

But, my Defy has a KMC X10L chain on it and I am looking to replace it. I can't find the exact same chain on Wiggle, so would the KMC X10EL also be ok? It seems like it would be.

Yes. L is light. EL is extra light. The EL may not be as long lasting or hard wearing, but that should be it.

grudas · 5 Feb 2015 at 20:17

ShiWarrior said:
which video is yours mate?

2nd one with the mini

physichull · 5 Feb 2015 at 20:37

Vonhelmet said:
Yes. L is light. EL is extra light. The EL may not be as long lasting or hard wearing, but that should be it.

Ahhh cool! All these "-XL", "X5000", "SL-XF" blah blah blah stuff on the end of cycling gear is often so confusing when left unexplained!

Thanks!

Amps · 5 Feb 2015 at 20:48

Get that chain from ebay from thaiwan. Product is genuine it costs about £23 thays where i got my spare one

FrenchTart · 5 Feb 2015 at 21:00

Roady said:
*snip*

I'm so going to post a video riding down Wilmslow road in rush hour/rusholme at double speed. It will be hilarious

Vonhelmet · 5 Feb 2015 at 22:03

FrenchTart said:
I'm so going to post a video riding down Wilmslow road in rush hour/rusholme at double speed. It will be hilarious

Complete with Benny Hill music?

Vonhelmet · 5 Feb 2015 at 22:07

physichull said:
Ahhh cool! All these "-XL", "X5000", "SL-XF" blah blah blah stuff on the end of cycling gear is often so confusing when left unexplained!

Thanks!

Just to clarify how EL the EL is compared to the L... The L weighs 268g and the EL weighs 266g

The SL weighs 253g...

By contrast the RB (rust buster, which is surely where it's at for a long lasting chain) weighs an outrageous, nay unthinkable, 273g.

Long story short, you could cut your fingernails before a ride and it would make about as much difference.

FishFluff · 6 Feb 2015 at 09:15

I decided to give myself a bike fit last night. Armed with the Internet and a tape measure I think ive nailed it. My seat was about 10 cm too high and too far forward. I also needed to rotate my bars and lower the stem.

Had a quick spin on the turbo and it feels a *lot* more comfortable now!

Roady · 6 Feb 2015 at 09:17

Vonhelmet said:
Complete with Benny Hill music?

Dammit! There's my idea ruined!

Garmin editor is ok, but tricky to speed-up parts of the recording without splitting it into separate files and having to resync them, otherwise I'd speed up the boring bits and real speed the interesting bits... :confused:

Vonhelmet said:
Just to clarify how EL the EL is compared to the L... The L weighs 268g and the EL weighs 266g

The SL weighs 253g...

By contrast the RB (rust buster, which is surely where it's at for a long lasting chain) weighs an outrageous, nay unthinkable, 273g.

Long story short, you could cut your fingernails before a ride and it would make about as much difference.

RB chains worth it? My Defy 1 2015 came with a KMC X11L and it rusts like crazy, even 1 off the bike enough rust will form that the chain needs cleaning - even if I wipe the chain with a dry paper towel after finishing my ride! Cleaning it every weekend currently and it does clean up - I'm just concerned about it getting much worse in wetter weather?! :eek:

I'm using an 'all weather' oil, do I need to look at using some kinda dry lube all over the chain as well as the oil in the links? :confused:

Nothing to report on commute home last night - damp but not cold as wore my thermals with waterproof's. Got a good time on a segment as overtook a rider and wanted to lay down some hurt into a headwind to drop him!

Back to wearing thermals with my extra layer again this morning as it was -1 with -3 wind chill! Mornings are much lighter now, still had all my lights on and will continue to use them until I don't see them on the tarmac infront of me.

FishFluff said:
I decided to give myself a bike fit last night. Armed with the Internet and a tape measure I think ive nailed it. My seat was about 10 cm too high and too far forward. I also needed to rotate my bars and lower the stem.

Had a quick spin on the turbo and it feels a *lot* more comfortable now!

You kindof are ment to make small changes... But I guess if it was really bad before... Did you make a note of the old measurements? Would be useful to see the guide you used for saddle measurements as my Trainer still isn't right

topgun06 · 6 Feb 2015 at 09:37

FishFluff said:
My seat was about 10 cm too high and too far forward.

Sounds like a good result. But 10cm too high!! How on earth wasn't that obvious before? Thats a hell of a lot.

tedmaul · 6 Feb 2015 at 09:41

topgun06 said:
Sounds like a good result. But 10cm too high!! How on earth wasn't that obvious before? Thats a hell of a lot.

Presumably once he unclipped his stilts and removed them, it became apparent.

One More Solo · 6 Feb 2015 at 09:42

Roady said:
You kindof are ment to make small changes... But I guess if it was really bad before... Did you make a note of the old measurements? Would be useful to see the guide you used for saddle measurements as my Trainer still isn't right

http://www.stevehoggbikefitting.com/bikefit/2011/02/seat-height-how-hard-can-it-be/
http://www.stevehoggbikefitting.com/bikefit/2011/05/seat-set-back-for-road-bikes/

Those two articles are the best places to start, IMO. Steve Hogg can be a bit wacky with some of his proprioception stuff but his core fitting principles are very good.

Roady · 6 Feb 2015 at 09:48

Who's 'Hairy Stuntwaffle'?

(comment on my video)

It's so flat!

Who's been bothered to watch my boring commute, should I upload any more? I'm going to continue recording them for safety purposes but I won't bother uploading them if there's no point... 500mb upload is nothing to be sniffed at with less than 1mb upload on my home DSL! (uploaded the last one at work on 10mb)

topgun06 · 6 Feb 2015 at 09:49

tedmaul said:
Presumably once he unclipped his stilts and removed them, it became apparent.

Yes I was going to say. Thinking about it, if I raised my saddle by 10cm I probably wouldn't be able to reach the pedals.

Are you sure you don't mean 1cm?

physichull · 6 Feb 2015 at 10:13

Roady said:
RB chains worth it? My Defy 1 2015 came with a KMC X11L and it rusts like crazy, even 1 off the bike enough rust will form that the chain needs cleaning - even if I wipe the chain with a dry paper towel after finishing my ride! Cleaning it every weekend currently and it does clean up - I'm just concerned about it getting much worse in wetter weather?!

I'm using an 'all weather' oil, do I need to look at using some kinda dry lube all over the chain as well as the oil in the links?

Weird that. I've had my current chain on for 18 months during which time it has done nearly 6000 km in all kinds of weather and I've never had rust on my chain. Maybe its the lubricant that you use? I use Finish Line Green for the winter and Finish Line Red for the summer.

Dunks · 6 Feb 2015 at 10:17

Roady said:
Who's 'Hairy Stuntwaffle'?

(comment on my video)

Who's been bothered to watch my boring commute, should I upload any more? I'm going to continue recording them for safety purposes but I won't bother uploading them if there's no point... 500mb upload is nothing to be sniffed at with less than 1mb upload on my home DSL! (uploaded the last one at work on 10mb)

No offense, but no one would want to sit and watch commute after commute

Upload the interesting parts and cool rides!

grudas · 6 Feb 2015 at 10:50

interesting crash eh!

Vonhelmet · 6 Feb 2015 at 11:01

FishFluff said:
I decided to give myself a bike fit last night. Armed with the Internet and a tape measure I think ive nailed it. My seat was about 10 cm too high and too far forward. I also needed to rotate my bars and lower the stem.

Had a quick spin on the turbo and it feels a *lot* more comfortable now!

10cm!! You must have been rocking like crazy!