Road Cycling Essentials

[SoliD]

I like, I like, I like.

Cross bike looks decent. The colour is nice. Does it feel heavy?

Ta, the colour is better in person than the pictures I think. It feels noticably heavier than my road bike, but to be expected, but then noticably lighter than my MTB which isn't exactly a heavyweight (Boardman HT Pro) Going to weigh it later. (supposedly 9.85kg) Reckon I could take a chunk out of that with some lighter wheels.

Very nice. After a(nother) weekend of deliberating and trawling back through my rides of last year I've decided that is exactly the sort of bike I should be looking at. My budget will put me nearer the One than the Four but I'm going to give them a very close look along with some others.

Oh and those hoods do look huge! Are they comfy though?

I started looking at the 2, whcih was in a random best cross bikes, but when looking at what I specifically wanted (full hydraulics and 22 speed) then the budget crept up. But used my bike to work voucher, and got the two pairs of shoes, so only paid £260, and get a free service as well as entry to one of the ride it events too. Very satisfied with the Evans service provided so far.

I don't know on the hoods, they seem it, they're only bigger because they contain the reservoirs. End of the day you butt your hands up against them, rather than on them. Have adjusted them to bring them down and tilted in slightly, as the lever is angled slightly outwards, which matches the bars.

Had those LG shoes for about six months. Super comfy, great fit with the tension laces, and nice to get two pairs of inner soles for winter and summer. Great buy and mine are still fairly white!

Good to hear, they seem very comfy, and much tighter on top than my velcro shimanos! Hoping that should equate to better power transfer.

 

[SoliD]

So who wants to share their favourite flexibility routines?

Started using these recently, I have fairly good flexibility, but these combined with foam rolling and some strength I find a fine base for myself.

http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/knowledge/training/article/izn20130617-Phil-Burt-s-Big-Four-0

On Trainer Road I've been converting my kJ to kcal burn at a rate of 1:1. Is this correct?

I remember reading about this and although may not be quoting 100% correctly, but basically, when you get a kj output this is basically how many joules of power you've put out. which if converted directly to calories is about 1:4 so 1000 = 250 or so. But this is just your power output, this doesn't take into account the inefficiency of your body, like anything your body is inefficient, so for every 1 calorie/watt/etc you push out, you will burn another 3 in wasted heat, so in reality kj = kcal when working out.

(Hope that makes sense)

I love my 105 shifters too, so smooth! Then again I came from Claris/Sora (STI 2300's) so anything was an improvement

Now they look good, carbon sole?

Which 105s have you got 11 or 10? The step up to 11 is huge over my old 10 speeds, so crisp and lovely, beats my older ultegra/durace set up on my TT bike.

Unfortunately not a carbon sole, but they're bloody stiff and the fasteners so much better should see an improvement in power transfer.

 

[Vonhelmet]

I've got a pair of Northwaves, I have wide feet too, they aren't the most costly either. I went to them after trying and failing with Sidi Mega's

Good to hear. I'm looking at the North Wave SRS shoes as they're not much more expensive than the shimano r088s and they come in black!

 

[grudas]

Which 105s have you got 11 or 10? The step up to 11 is huge over my old 10 speeds, so crisp and lovely, beats my older ultegra/durace set up on my TT bike.

Unfortunately not a carbon sole, but they're bloody stiff and the fasteners so much better should see an improvement in power transfer.

STOP TEMPTING ME!!! I'm very tempted to pick a full 105 groupo and stick it on my triban 3 lol!

I have some Soul S3.0 the S2 are lighter but both are 23mm wide rims
You can also get the CERO ones from Cycle Division. 1400g for 30mm clinchers and £379.

might be those! but I remember the website being with black background and it had prices in ££, those look alright too, wonder if they would hold up to commuting...

how do you find the 3.0's?

 

[ShiWarrior]

Hey all

Going to try and get back on the bike tomorrow, fingers crossed weather is good

 

[SoliD]

STOP TEMPTING ME!!! I'm very tempted to pick a full 105 groupo and stick it on my triban 3 lol!

Not worth it, would double the value of that bike Seriously, if you have the option do it. Although I've only ridden around the block, will pass judgement and review my bike when I eventually ride it (waiting on heli tape)

The brakes alone would be enough for you to upgrade. Cheap brakes suck!

 

[grudas]

Not worth it, would double the value of that bike Seriously, if you have the option do it. Although I've only ridden around the block, will pass judgement and review my bike when I eventually ride it (waiting on heli tape)

The brakes alone would be enough for you to upgrade. Cheap brakes suck!

I know lol.. but its just.. triban? I can bang it around and it still goes! nearly 9k miles on it now with same groupo!

brakes have been replaced with sram apex'es

this is tempting tho -;

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/genesis/day-one-disc-2015-singlespeed-bike-ec073921

anything wrong with it?

 

[SoliD]

I know lol.. but its just.. triban? I can bang it around and it still goes! nearly 9k miles on it now with same groupo!

brakes have been replaced with sram apex'es

this is tempting tho -;

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/genesis/day-one-disc-2015-singlespeed-bike-ec073921

anything wrong with it?

I would hope a group would last 9k miles, derraileurs and shifters should last an absolute age! as long as you don't fall on them.

Genesis make nice bikes, but cable discs :S

 

[grudas]

I would hope a group would last 9k miles, derraileurs and shifters should last an absolute age! as long as you don't fall on them.

Genesis make nice bikes, but cable discs :S

Oh I've crashed a few times on the triban! the front derraileur is a mess, so is the shifter! rear works fine though! guess I could drop my old r500 wheelset on it, clean it up, and sell it for £120ish..

do the same with my single speed that sits un-used and buy that genesis.

what I want is a simple/cheap-ish(£700) ride-around bike that I could leave anywhere and not worry about it.. single speed would be nice so would the disk brakes.

yeah they're cable but MEH at the budget and the use I want out of it, it should be perfect!?! I'd build a custom SS but I can't find any reasonably prices SS disk framesets

 

[Vonhelmet]

Not worth it, would double the value of that bike

My TDF cost me £200... I've already replaced various parts for it, and this year I'm going to refit it with full Claris (already got the shifters, so at least don't need them) and get the frame stripped and powder coated. It'll cost as much to do it as the bike is worth, but it's worth it to me. I'm going to keep it to use as a commuter, a winter bike, a bike to ride offroad with the kids with 28mm knobbly tyres on it... There's no way I could find an equivalent bike for £400 (£200 for the work I'll do this year, £200 assuming I could sell the old one for that) that would tick all those boxes.

Meh, it's my money

 

[Vonhelmet]

I can't find any reasonably prices SS disk framesets

The On One Pompetamine looks good, but it's out of stock at the moment.

 

[Roady]

Which 105s have you got 11 or 10? The step up to 11 is huge over my old 10 speeds, so crisp and lovely, beats my older ultegra/durace set up on my TT bike.

11/2015/latest 105/whatever we're calling it! The changes are so swift, accurate and direct I can even go up/down a couple of gears when putting down power and not worry about waiting for the gears to catchup between changes. Feels almost 'electronic' in a way - you press the button for the gear you want, fraction of a second later it's there! No chain grind, no derailleur tension/resistance and no 'jump' into gear. It's just THERE!

STOP TEMPTING ME!!! I'm very tempted to pick a full 105 groupo and stick it on my triban 3 lol!

Do it!

And that Genesis is 11kg?! Cable/disc really carries that kinda weight?

Buy some olympic DBs and do DB squats, OHP and stiff-legged RDLs. Also get a pull-up bar and do pulls/chins. Finally get an ab roller and do some ab-rollouts. Fairly cheap set up and you can do random bits of all that in your spare 10 minutes here and there.

I think the point I'm trying to make is... I'm not lazy per-se, just don't have enough time to do the 'things I want to do' balanced against the 'things I have to do' leaving me constantly in a 'want to do' deficit (loving my terminology?). So for me to include some more exercise at the moment (as I'm fitter than I was) it isn't something I 'need to do' so it gets left until I get some time and I'm great at procrastination!

Just getting ready for the ride home, the winds don't look as bad as they were but there's some gusty rain showers blowing over... To waterproof (and risk cooking) or not to (and risk getting wet). The eternal dilemma!

 

[Saytan]

Lightness has never been 105's thing. It's always been rock solid for durability and functionally superb, but the competition has generally been lighter

weights generally are quite interesting. My MTB is lighter than one of my road bikes....

 

[Dunks]

Just had some **** do the closest overtake yet.

Passed at this point, at the same time as oncoming traffic, I literally have no idea how he didn't manage to plough into me or the car.

Probably avoidable if I took primary, which I really should do as it's a pretty narrow bit of road but short.

Seriously considering getting some kind of camera, although not quite sure how effective it will be for reporting people like this.

 

[Vonhelmet]

Planet X have 100 carbon RT-58 ultegra bikes for £800. The frameset is £400, down from £700.

 

[whyscotty]

Planet X have 100 carbon RT-58 ultegra bikes for £800. The frameset is £400, down from £700.

Cracking prices

 

[physichull]

Not seen any great clothing bargains recently.

 

[FrenchTart]

And that Genesis is 11kg?! Cable/disc really carries that kinda weight?

Nowhere near that kind of penalty. It's a heavy steel frame with heavy wheels I imagine.

I think the point I'm trying to make is... I'm not lazy per-se, just don't have enough time to do the 'things I want to do' balanced against the 'things I have to do' leaving me constantly in a 'want to do' deficit (loving my terminology?). So for me to include some more exercise at the moment (as I'm fitter than I was) it isn't something I 'need to do' so it gets left until I get some time and I'm great at procrastination!

Fair enough. I thought you were asking for tips on things you could add in The stuff I mentioned would be quite easy to fit in around other things if you do get more motivation at some point.

 

[Shamrock]

Would anyone here be interested in a slightly used (less than 10 rides) pair of Specialized Expert Roads? Size UK8 EU42.

I'd only be asking for postage costs.

 

[physichull]

Ouch, just heard that somebody in my cycle club was riding the Newport 200 km Audax on Sunday and had a crash which has resulted in him being taken to hospital and diagnosed with a shattered hip socket and fractured pelvis.

Apparently he was reaching for something in his back pocket and a gust of wind caught the front wheel and over he went and hit the ground hard. Local farmer drove him to her house to wait for the ambulance.