Road Cycling Essentials

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My Cyclescheme renews next week, still deciding what to get!

Leisure Lakes don't accept top ups or the Whyte Suffolk (£1199) would be my decision...
 
SDK^ said:
I'm seriously angry right now :mad:

My Stages power meter arrived today.
Having ordered it on 10th Feb and it taking 15 days to arrive despite showing as in stock. Then DHL missed the delivery yesterday as there was an issue with the driver. So it arrives today, I open the box and it’s the silver version – I ordered the black model.

I was hoping to use it this weekend for an event - grrrr

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Contact their support and see what they suggest? Tell them you'll stop the payment/get bank to block it unless they sort it by the weekend (slightly heavy handed). You could find a reseller/stockist near you and see if they'll do a straight swap? Could ask if that's an option with Stages - they may even organise it for you?

macmodder said:
I'm about to pull the trigger on a B'Twin Triban 500SE to replace my rubbish old mountain bike for commuting. It seems to have glowing reviews, and is better speced than many bikes £100 dearer, so it seems a no-brainer for me.

If I'm making a big mistake please tell me in the next few hours!
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ShiWarrior said:
personaly I don't like the spec

triple chain rings ? (8 speed/24)

unbranded gears ?

this is better
http://www.merlincycles.com/merlin-maven-road-bike-55803.html
£400 gets you double chain ring, sora all round and carbon fork
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The Triban is a good ride, but for the money now you can get better specced (as mentioned).

This Verenti has Claris throughout, it's a recent addition, Wiggle only, but seems to review well £351.

This Mekk has a mix of Claris and Sora, similar price range £330 currently...

dodg3rman said:
Thanks Roady , you're a gent.

Good thinking on the mobility issues and I am seriously pondering a trip to a specialist podiatrist/bike fitter local to me. I think after all these years of being lopsided its time to spend some money on getting it looked at properly. Maybe with a view to getting some proper orthotics not just for the bike shoes but for everyday life shoes etc
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That's along the lines of what I was thinking, you may even regain some extra flexibility/movement in the joint from cycling (acting as a rough physio) but I'm guessing that would only be in an extremely lucky case. I based my advice on things I'd read a number of places regarding bike fit, including articles like this: http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/fitness/bike-fit/bespoke-cycling-bike-fit-26279

grudas said:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/rafu6000/14264659271/

think imma get the "on one" frame deal and aim to build up something like the above by August! :)
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404/doesn't work without flickr account :p

One for you Londoners: http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news...t-dangerous-cycling-junctions-revealed-159591

daveski said:
Cycle to work sucks when you want a nice bike! Our scheme opens again on Friday and I want a bike but the choice below £1k is a bit pants really.
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Dunks said:
My Cyclescheme renews next week, still deciding what to get!
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I'm slightly in the dark (no C2W options for me even though 50% of the company directors are cyclists! :rolleyes:) but could the 'voucher' be spent on a full groupset, gear, clothes and labour? Then you'd only have to find the money for the frame you wanted (could even source and supply to the LBS yourself)? Or does it mostly have to be spent on a complete bike (I'm guessing this might hinge on the LBS 'playing ball').
 
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grudas said:
claris is the old sora pretty much.. not much to say about it really, I'm still running 2300 on my triban and it still shifts OK... :o
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Old sora as in 3400? Because old sora was cack 2300 clicky thumb button stuff. Current sora is 3500, which is basically old tiagra. Claris is 2400, which is like current sora but only 8 speeds and probably a bit heavier.
 
Roady said:
404/doesn't work without flickr account :p

One for you Londoners: http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news...t-dangerous-cycling-junctions-revealed-159591
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really? i dont have a flickr account and it works fine! :o

my brother rides through E&C daily.. not a fan of that place lol.

Vonhelmet said:
I have a blue one of them in a box in my lounge at the moment. I've not built it yet as I've nowhere to put it...
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what are your plans with it ? ss, drop bars etc? what wheelset are you going for? what chainset etc?

Vonhelmet said:
Old sora as in 3400? Because old sora was cack 2300 clicky thumb button stuff. Current sora is 3500, which is basically old tiagra. Claris is 2400, which is like current sora but only 8 speeds and probably a bit heavier.
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aha.. so it's like a side-down-grade kinda version of sora, always thought it was the old sora with sti shifters..
 
daveski said:
Not at most of the retailers I can use on the Halfords scheme.

There's a local shop that may let me, I'll need to have a word. They have the Giant Propel for £1400 too.
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There are shops out there that let you top up, deffo worth a quick chat!. The one I used was really good, they let me top up an extra 650 to get my propel adv 1 :D. Some seem to charge an admin fee though so be careful!
 
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Thanks for the advice guys. I am reconsidering what to get. I want new, and soonish, because I'm having to walk my 4 mile commute while I don't have a working bike. I have a friend who waxes lyrical about the triban though. I think I'll sleep on it.
 
grudas said:
what are your plans with it ? ss, drop bars etc? what wheelset are you going for? what chainset etc?
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Single speed, drop bars, mini v brakes. Wheelset is whatever cheap heavy set I got on ebay for £85, with pinned rims that I can see a gap in :p I'm planning to build a set myself next year. The chainset is a Miche Xpress 48t one, the freewheel is an 18t Sturmey Archer one. Brakes are Tektro, levers are Shimano, cockpit Deda, Charge Spoon on whatever cheap seatpost Ribble had. It's all just in boxes waiting for me to get to it!
 
Vonhelmet said:
Single speed, drop bars, mini v brakes. Wheelset is whatever cheap heavy set I got on ebay for £85, with pinned rims that I can see a gap in :p I'm planning to build a set myself next year. The chainset is a Miche Xpress 48t one, the freewheel is an 18t Sturmey Archer one. Brakes are Tektro, levers are Shimano, cockpit Deda, Charge Spoon on whatever cheap seatpost Ribble had. It's all just in boxes waiting for me to get to it!
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aha! cool, post progress as you go along :)

I've just ordered the £199 deal too! with drop bars!

plan is to get £150-£200 SS wheelset, 48t chain ring, 18t at the back, 28c tyres, mini V's on the back and maybe carbon fork with caliper brakes at the front! the rest will be from bits I have around - cables ha.

this will be my little project for the next 3-4 months! while I kill the triban 3 and sell it.
 
SoliD said:
Pinnacle Arkose 4 from Evans - £1250 but has full Hydraulics, what I just got.
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Any idea if those rims can take 25mm tyres? The 38mm they come with says maybe not! Although 28mm would be just as good.

Not sure if a cyclocross is what I'm after, although I'm assuming with lighter wheels and 25mm tyres, it'd be more akin to a normal road bike?
 
Vonhelmet said:
Old sora as in 3400? Because old sora was cack 2300 clicky thumb button stuff. Current sora is 3500, which is basically old tiagra. Claris is 2400, which is like current sora but only 8 speeds and probably a bit heavier.
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I went out bike shopping on the weekend and was really tempted by some of the 2014 bargains. Then I started talking to the sales guy who basically confirmed what you said so when I questioned just how much of a bargain they are when compared to this years models even he couldn't really say what he thought was the best buy. This was followed by considering everything from current Claris to 2014 Tiagra. I went round in circles so many times that I nearly disappeared up my own backside.

I then gave up, went home and rode my bike with 2011 Tourney which shifts perfectly and I realised that until you've ridden anything different it doesn't really matter :p You can't miss what you don't know after all.
 
lordrobs said:
I went out bike shopping on the weekend and was really tempted by some of the 2014 bargains. Then I started talking to the sales guy who basically confirmed what you said so when I questioned just how much of a bargain they are when compared to this years models even he couldn't really say what he thought was the best buy. This was followed by considering everything from current Claris to 2014 Tiagra. I went round in circles so many times that I nearly disappeared up my own backside.

I then gave up, went home and rode my bike with 2011 Tourney which shifts perfectly and I realised that until you've ridden anything different it doesn't really matter :p You can't miss what you don't know after all.
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the truth of it is that the frame, the fork, the wheels and the contact points make faaaaar more difference to the overall experience than the difference between 1 groupset and the one above or below it.
 
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