Road Cycling Essentials

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platypus said:
If you need any help writing it let me know, I'd be quite interested.
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I'll drop you a line if I make any progress. How are your various net coding skills? I'm fairly proficient in node/php/js (and obviously the html and css to go along with it) but I'm pretty out of practice with a lot of other stuff.
 
FrenchTart said:
I'll drop you a line if I make any progress. How are your various net coding skills? I'm fairly proficient in node/php/js (and obviously the html and css to go along with it) but I'm pretty out of practice with a lot of other stuff.
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Ooh, this sounds interesting. Keep me updated too please.
I can help out with js/php/mysql.
 
tom_nieto said:
Sadly I think halfords is my only option. For £850 (after the current 15% discount) it looks like a decent option, especially considering the bike will come in at just under £500 taking into account the scheme savings. Went to try some out today, the service is limited, but I've found the correct size frame at least (Large - I'm 188cm). Once all the cash is spent I should have a good setup I think.

The question really is, is there a significantly better option to pursue here?
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Lost a long reply I wrote as my home Internet just died for some unknown reason (grrr@sky!).

Basically: most of the boardman range, team comp etc are good but you would get something better for the money by not going to Halfords. Are there no Local Bike Shops (LBS) around you that are part of the C2W scheme?

Before getting a road bike make sure a road bike is what you need. If your commute is along lanes/canal paths and you'll be riding all weather's then a CX disc bike would be a better buy, there is a boardman one in your price range (thoughts on that guys?). It would also give you clearance for guards and wider tyres. If your friends ride MTB/CX and you'll want to ride with them, then road makes no sense.

Oh and don't buy the Halfords extended warranty/yearly service thing. You still have to pay for brake pads (about the only thing you'll wear out as a beginning commuter).

As for the Halfords build, nothing special. My last bike from them had to go back 4 different times for a gear problem they couldn't solve and they screwed up again on the yearly service... :rolleyes:

Enough Halfords bashing, they do an okay job for the absolute basics and for easily getting people riding :)

My VIRB videos are only half uploaded (ie 1 of 2 is up), will link them when finished tomorrow (hopefully if Internet is back!).

Glad you're okay after your fall platy, sorry to hear about the gear and shoe :(
 
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Thanks for your reply Roady. I already have a ridgeback hybrid which I have been commuting on, so this is a shiny new toy for long weekend rides or perhaps commuting when the weather is better. A road bike is what I want for sure. I'm going to ring and see if I can go anywhere else for a bike. Any specific recommendations? I've got up to a grand to spend, but ideally slightly less so I can buy a couple of accessories.
 
touch said:
Ooh, this sounds interesting. Keep me updated too please.
I can help out with js/php/mysql.
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I've failed at doing much tonight :p I'll see how things go tomorrow.

My plan at the moment is to scrape a one-off copy of the weight data and use that as a basis to build from. Making a fairly simple site to use the data already there and allow creating lists shouldn't be hard. For the time-being entering price/further weight data into the db will probably have to be manually done by people like us as building a nice interface to allow general users to do that would take extra time.

Just random thoughts. Hopefully my general laziness won't be an issue...
 
tom_nieto said:
Thanks for your reply Roady. I already have a ridgeback hybrid which I have been commuting on, so this is a shiny new toy for long weekend rides or perhaps commuting when the weather is better. A road bike is what I want for sure. I'm going to ring and see if I can go anywhere else for a bike. Any specific recommendations? I've got up to a grand to spend, but ideally slightly less so I can buy a couple of accessories.
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If you need accs I'd still get the road team for 850. A well specced bike for the price.

Or...

Sign up to British cycling for £30 quid and get the road pro carbon that's £1300 With full 105 and aksium rims.

15% off is £1105

Then apply 10% for British cycling takes you to £995

Not bad eh?
 
IMO I don't think you can get a better bike for less than a grand than the Boardman Team Carbon or Pro Carbon if you use the British Cycling trick above. If you bought a comparably priced alloy one from a LBS you would want a carbon frame before long I think...
 
tom_nieto said:
Thanks for your reply Roady. I already have a ridgeback hybrid which I have been commuting on, so this is a shiny new toy for long weekend rides or perhaps commuting when the weather is better. A road bike is what I want for sure. I'm going to ring and see if I can go anywhere else for a bike. Any specific recommendations? I've got up to a grand to spend, but ideally slightly less so I can buy a couple of accessories.
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Ahh so you're not totally 'new' to cycling, what is your commute like? Mostly good road surfaces? If you've ridden it enough on your hybrid then you really will notice the difference changing to a road bike! I switched from Hybrid to Road back in July, commute used to take me ~24 mins, now I'm averaging 16-17 (got it as low as 15 once!). More than that the road bike has got me hooked on cycling too! :)

Brabbinho said:
If you need accs I'd still get the road team for 850. A well specced bike for the price.

Or...

Sign up to British cycling for £30 quid and get the road pro carbon that's £1300 With full 105 and aksium rims.

15% off is £1105

Then apply 10% for British cycling takes you to £995

Not bad eh?
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That's a good deal for a good bike, but that'd leave him nothing for gear/pedals/helmet/whatever else! Full Ultegra for a first road bike?! :eek::D;)

About to go clean mine before taking it for it's service, will take some pics of the grime lol ;)

VIRB videos for audio comparison:

Lug in place:

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Dammit, my Garmin corrupted a 32 mile ride with a hell of a hill in the middle... I wanted to see how I'd done.

Woeful drivers again this morning. Stupid close passes, squeezing through gaps... Some idiot who looked about 193 years old in the world's oldest Vectra driving right up behind me and beeping his horn... What's that about?
 
Vonhelmet said:
Dammit, my Garmin corrupted a 32 mile ride with a hell of a hill in the middle... I wanted to see how I'd done.

Woeful drivers again this morning. Stupid close passes, squeezing through gaps... Some idiot who looked about 193 years old in the world's oldest Vectra driving right up behind me and beeping his horn... What's that about?
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I would have stopped and politely asked him why he beeped his horn.
 
Had a tough ride out today, planned a steady 40 miler with a little climb and a gentle headwind.

Jesus I was in for a shock once I got out of the vale strong headwinds then the climb was a killer. Blowing a gale and I was in the clouds and freezing.

Even the descent wasn't easy road was full of mud etc.

https://www.strava.com/activities/254629674/

Might not look much but its ruined my legs!
 
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