I saw those bundles, pretty good deals they looked!
Road Cycling Essentials
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I saw those bundles, pretty good deals they looked!
Soldato
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I see Froome is still struggling to keep the pace with Contador this year. Finish 19 seconds behind him on todays stage. Both seem a band apart from the rest but Froomey isn't quite able to pip him.
Very early season yet, and with Contador going for the Giro, you would expect him to be in better shape earlier in the year, so I think Froome finishing that close at this point is a good sign.
New bike will be ready Sunday! Woohoo!
Sounds good! What saddle is it and what would you want for it? I've been meaning to pickup a spoon/scoop or something similar for my trainer (which has a cheap no-name Carrera one that bites me on anything over an hour). My budget is prob £20-25-30ish.
Same as Paul on this one, I'm thinking Froome will be coming on top form ready for mid-season with the races he has lined up.
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On one bignose. It sells for £15 so I'd take a tenner.
If you go for the spoon it can be had for £20 or so, less if you go for the madison flux which is the same saddle under a different name. The scoop is 30something and if it's only for a trainer the main draw - the very tidy base which is super easy to clean - isn't so compelling.
Soldato
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Winter needs to hurry up and go away, -10C for the morning forecast :/
Opinions please!
I need to replace my bar tape and gear/brake cables on my ridley, I currently have a Charge orange seat post, bar end caps, and cable end caps in orange.
I'm thinking, get a jagwire kit in orange, but I'm not sure whether to get Orange Bar Tape, Supercaz Black and Orange half and half bar tape, or just black bar tape! Throwing this out to the masses!
http://www.wigglestatic.com/product...-Orange-Black-SC-BT-011-0.jpg?w=430&h=430&a=7 is the black/orange.
If I don't go for this what are peoples recommendations, I've got some 4za stuff that was on the bike from the outset, and it's comfy enough for me, but don't want anything super thin!
I need to replace my bar tape and gear/brake cables on my ridley, I currently have a Charge orange seat post, bar end caps, and cable end caps in orange.
I'm thinking, get a jagwire kit in orange, but I'm not sure whether to get Orange Bar Tape, Supercaz Black and Orange half and half bar tape, or just black bar tape! Throwing this out to the masses!
http://www.wigglestatic.com/product...-Orange-Black-SC-BT-011-0.jpg?w=430&h=430&a=7 is the black/orange.
If I don't go for this what are peoples recommendations, I've got some 4za stuff that was on the bike from the outset, and it's comfy enough for me, but don't want anything super thin!
Would be better with a bike pic.
Yep, need a pic.
I see we've been talking about spd-sl cleat wear this past week... What's the verdict? I'm thinking of asking for some spd-sl shoes and pedals for my better bike for my birthday, but the wear talk concerns me a bit. It's that or I get some stiffer soled spd shoes and try my luck with those. The spd cleats will last forever, though it seems to me I'll then be losing the benefit of the better contact and power transfer of the road pedals and of the ease of walking in mtb type shoes, like the worst of both worlds...
Either way I'll be keeping my cheapo flexy spd shoes and spd pedals on my winter/soon-to-be-commuter and single speed bikes.
I see we've been talking about spd-sl cleat wear this past week... What's the verdict? I'm thinking of asking for some spd-sl shoes and pedals for my better bike for my birthday, but the wear talk concerns me a bit. It's that or I get some stiffer soled spd shoes and try my luck with those. The spd cleats will last forever, though it seems to me I'll then be losing the benefit of the better contact and power transfer of the road pedals and of the ease of walking in mtb type shoes, like the worst of both worlds...
Either way I'll be keeping my cheapo flexy spd shoes and spd pedals on my winter/soon-to-be-commuter and single speed bikes.
I'm going round in circles with potential bike purchases 
One that I keep coming back to is the Norco Search S3 http://www.evanscycles.com/products/norco/search-s3-2015-adventure-road-bike-ec072577 and only £150 over my budget 
Also puts it within spitting distance of the Charge Plug 3 online price wise but I can't get one of them locally unless I pay full RRP which puts me off.
Other option is to go for something more along the lines of a traditional sportive geometry road bike like a Defy/Ride/Allez. I really do fail at making purchase decisions
One that I keep coming back to is the Norco Search S3 http://www.evanscycles.com/products/norco/search-s3-2015-adventure-road-bike-ec072577 and only £150 over my budget Also puts it within spitting distance of the Charge Plug 3 online price wise but I can't get one of them locally unless I pay full RRP which puts me off.Other option is to go for something more along the lines of a traditional sportive geometry road bike like a Defy/Ride/Allez. I really do fail at making purchase decisions
I'm going round in circles with potential bike purchases
Other option is to go for something more along the lines of a traditional sportive geometry road bike like a Defy/Ride/Allez. I really do fail at making purchase decisions
what do you want from a bike and whats your budget? that norco doesn't look like anything special for £650.
I think I'm getting caught up with this whole adventure/gravel bike thing due to the ability to run bigger tyres if I choose to. Which if I'm being honest is probably just a safety blanket coming from two decades of riding mountain bikes and hybrids
What I want from a bike - something I can pile miles on in reasonable comfort. A bit more pace than my current bike would be nice but more efficiency is what I'm after so I can start doing longer rides, ideally up to and eventually beyond 50 miles.
Budget, ideally £500.
I think something like this http://www.evanscycles.com/products/pinnacle/dolomite-four-2014-road-bike-ec054870 would, in reality, suit what I've just described much better than the one in my previous post.
Adventure, what rot. Buy a CX bike if that's what you want. You don't need 40c tyres on the road, not even close, they'd be outrageously heavy and slow. Get something with clearance for, I don't know, 28mm tyres and that'll do you. That Pinnacle looks a good bet. 25mm tyres at stock and you can get 28s on there if you want, plus mudguard mounts. Ideal.
I was nervous about moving to road tyres when I first started because I thought I wouldn't have any grip. Now, sure, I ended up in a hedge on my first ride out but that was because I didn't know what I was doing with the brakes, not because of the skinny tyres. I've managed fine since then.
I was nervous about moving to road tyres when I first started because I thought I wouldn't have any grip. Now, sure, I ended up in a hedge on my first ride out but that was because I didn't know what I was doing with the brakes, not because of the skinny tyres. I've managed fine since then.
I think I'm getting caught up with this whole adventure/gravel bike thing due to the ability to run bigger tyres if I choose to. Which if I'm being honest is probably just a safety blanket coming from two decades of riding mountain bikes and hybrids
What I want from a bike - something I can pile miles on in reasonable comfort. A bit more pace than my current bike would be nice but more efficiency is what I'm after so I can start doing longer rides, ideally up to and eventually beyond 50 miles.
Budget, ideally £500.
I think something like this http://www.evanscycles.com/products/pinnacle/dolomite-four-2014-road-bike-ec054870 would, in reality, suit what I've just described much better than the one in my previous post.
seems a good fit to what you feel you want, decent for road use or even some light off roading with the correct tyres.
I think I'm getting caught up with this whole adventure/gravel bike thing due to the ability to run bigger tyres if I choose to. Which if I'm being honest is probably just a safety blanket coming from two decades of riding mountain bikes and hybrids
What I want from a bike - something I can pile miles on in reasonable comfort. A bit more pace than my current bike would be nice but more efficiency is what I'm after so I can start doing longer rides, ideally up to and eventually beyond 50 miles.
Budget, ideally £500.
I think something like this http://www.evanscycles.com/products/pinnacle/dolomite-four-2014-road-bike-ec054870 would, in reality, suit what I've just described much better than the one in my previous post.
http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBPXRT58ALUTIA/planet-x-rt-58-alloy-shimano-tiagra-road-bike
is better than the other two, price does fluctuates on that tho, 499-599... ! might be some other, similar deals around, haven't been keeping up with the latest on bikes really.
First race of the year today. Crit race 50 mins plus 2 laps so a long one!
Was happy to hang on and finish, dropped 1/3 of the riders. It's a tough peanut shaped track which is up and down quite a lot, 300m elevation for 35km. Usually get strong winds as it's at the top of the mount which is the highest point in town.
Just need to switch your brain off and throw the bike into the corners, saw 65kmh at one point, then just chuck the bike into the corner, I did think I was going to run wide and onto the grass but it stuck...
Was happy to hang on and finish, dropped 1/3 of the riders. It's a tough peanut shaped track which is up and down quite a lot, 300m elevation for 35km. Usually get strong winds as it's at the top of the mount which is the highest point in town.
Just need to switch your brain off and throw the bike into the corners, saw 65kmh at one point, then just chuck the bike into the corner, I did think I was going to run wide and onto the grass but it stuck...
I'm pretty sure I don't want a CX bike as that has features that I know I don't want like different chain rings, larger BB clearance and treaded tyres.
I was looking at the Planet-X last year but I've decided that I want to buy a bike after trying it in the metal from a shop I can wheel it back to if I have any problems, even if that means I pay a bit more or have less choice.
Man of Honour
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- 16 May 2005
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I ride on cx chain rings for the road (well, it's now 46/34) and it's really not that bad. If anything it encourages you to keep your cadence up and the closer size of the two chain rings means that shifting feels a bit less clunky compared to 50/34 so there are some benefits. The only time I run out of rings is when I'm going downhill but I'm such a wuss on descents that I don't really mind
The Pinnacle Dolomite looks good, especially if you want to purchase from a shop. One thing I would say though is that you may get better service if you find a smaller LBS local to you. The only reason I say this is that places like Evans and such tend to have a lot more customers and hence busier workshops. On the flipside you do have more recourse when things go wrong I guess.
edit: Whatever bike you buy I recommend swapping out the tyres immediately (or ask the shop if they will let you pay say, £10 to upgrade the tyres to something decent). Pro4 Endurance/SC are very good for the price though if you want to pay more you could get GP4000S II or Conti 4Seasons.
edit2: The Norco Search looks kind of nice but Sora on a £650 bike is a bit disappointing. Normally I'd always recommend disc brake-equipped bikes but I'm not sure about the Norco.
The Pinnacle Dolomite looks good, especially if you want to purchase from a shop. One thing I would say though is that you may get better service if you find a smaller LBS local to you. The only reason I say this is that places like Evans and such tend to have a lot more customers and hence busier workshops. On the flipside you do have more recourse when things go wrong I guess.
edit: Whatever bike you buy I recommend swapping out the tyres immediately (or ask the shop if they will let you pay say, £10 to upgrade the tyres to something decent). Pro4 Endurance/SC are very good for the price though if you want to pay more you could get GP4000S II or Conti 4Seasons.
edit2: The Norco Search looks kind of nice but Sora on a £650 bike is a bit disappointing. Normally I'd always recommend disc brake-equipped bikes but I'm not sure about the Norco.
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