Road Cycling Essentials

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Shadowness said:
7.4V 3350mA
Should be good for roughly 6-7 hours on the low setting. Testing it out tonight :)
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Have you checked that it's ok to run that much voltage through it?
The standard batteries are only 3.7 volts? I'd be interested to know how it goes, i'm planning something similar.
 
Crizzy said:
Hello everyone, just after some advice really, I've been looking at a Cannondale Synapse Sora, the 2013 model with the relocated down shifters. I'm updating from a hybrid which I use to cycle to and from the gym and it'll have to be suitable to use in a triathlon (not for breaking any records just competing and completing to start with).

Bike is £699 and I'll be getting it through the cycle scheme. After seeing it in the flesh today I thought it was a great looking bike and felt comfortable to sit on. As I'm fairly new to biking I was recommended the Synapse over slightly more racier setups as it has a slight bias towards comfort. Even though I have a budget of up to £1k I also need all new accessories (helmet, lights, lock, hi viz, pump...)

After having a browse and looking at various bits of kit I've now got a quote for £830 for everything bar the pump.

Just wondered if anyone has any opinions on this bike or any other suggestions if you think I'm off the mark? I've looked at the Giant Defy but not sure which model is closest to the Synapse? I've also looked at the Triban 3 from decathlon which looks like good value for money but doesn't feel as special as the Cannondale.

Thanks for any input! :)
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Hi

Can i just say / point out (due to me buying my first road bike a few weeks ago) I dont know what your level of bikes are so sorry if I sound like you dont know what your talking about etc. But one thing you must make sure, before you choose a bike, is BIKE FITTING, this i found to be the most cruicial part of chooseing a bike. I went to about 6 different bike shops and they all said different size frames, but on my last shop, they had a proper bike fitting service (which is free) and they took measurements, height, feet length, crotch height, arm reach etc etc and although I was looking originaly at Trek bikes, i ended up with a specialized Roubaix becuase it was the best fit, and becuase it was such a good fit, i feel comftable on long rides, so please take my advice and get your self to some bike shops, and if one offers what i said above then you will be in good hands!

Good luck
 
Getting seriously cold now. Going to try to get out tomorrow evening, but it'll be a test.

I called in at Halfords to look at picking up some new tyres, as my current ones - armadillos - are wearing out. They have gatorskins at a reasonable price if I order online and collect in store. They should tide me over until I buy some summer wheels and tires in the spring. I'm planning to pick up some 25mm tyres, assuming they'll fit on my TdF. Should give a bit more stability, especially if I drop from my usual 120psi to 100psi.
 
Vonhelmet said:
I'm planning to pick up some 25mm tyres, assuming they'll fit on my TdF. Should give a bit more stability, especially if I drop from my usual 120psi to 100psi.
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I'm on 25mm GatorHardshells on 100 psi but I'm seriously getting worried about ice on the roads and if I will be able to stay upright.
What are the experienced riders thoughts on this - should I be worried especially having a large steep hill I have to come down?
 
Shadowness said:
Here's my rather crude but hopefully awesome replacement battery for my magicshine clone:
photo.jpg


7.4V 3350mA
Should be good for roughly 6-7 hours on the low setting. Testing it out tonight :)
Click to expand...


Let me know how it works out, I've got a some 6000mah 7.4v LiPo packs which arent being used which I could wire up to my Cree.
 
Dimple said:
I'm on 25mm GatorHardshells on 100 psi but I'm seriously getting worried about ice on the roads and if I will be able to stay upright.
What are the experienced riders thoughts on this - should I be worried especially having a large steep hill I have to come down?
Click to expand...

I'm wondering the same, this is the first winter I've cycled through.

I've been taking it slower round corners the last couple of days and avoiding any shiny parts of the road.
 
ShiWarrior said:
Hi

Can i just say / point out (due to me buying my first road bike a few weeks ago) I dont know what your level of bikes are so sorry if I sound like you dont know what your talking about etc. But one thing you must make sure, before you choose a bike, is BIKE FITTING, this i found to be the most cruicial part of chooseing a bike. I went to about 6 different bike shops and they all said different size frames, but on my last shop, they had a proper bike fitting service (which is free) and they took measurements, height, feet length, crotch height, arm reach etc etc and although I was looking originaly at Trek bikes, i ended up with a specialized Roubaix becuase it was the best fit, and becuase it was such a good fit, i feel comftable on long rides, so please take my advice and get your self to some bike shops, and if one offers what i said above then you will be in good hands!

Good luck
Click to expand...

Hi,

Thanks for that,

I've been to a couple of bike shops, the latest being Evans in which the member of staff who I dealt with was really helpful. After having a look at the bikes I was interested in he got me to sit on it so he cold assess my posture. That bike was a 54" frame which he said I was stretching my arms a little too much for. They are going to order in the next size down and when it's delivered they will check for fit again to make sure the sizing is correct. If it's not quite corrct then you're right and I'll have to think again about which make/model I go for.

Hope you're enjoying your Roubaix!
 
Crizzy said:
That bike was a 54" frame which he said I was stretching my arms a little too much for.
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With a 54" frame I'm not surprised its a little on the large side! ;)

I think you mean 54cm.

Be aware that there is no standard geometry or method of describing frame size and so one frame in a 54cm might be too small and another 54cm might be too big. Take the length if the head tube into account as well as if its longer it brings the bars closer without shortening the top tube.

Also be aware that some manufacturers put a 100mm stem on whilst others use a 110mm as standard. Stems are also angles so fitting it the other way up can completely alter the fit.

Finding the right bike is complicated I'm afraid.
 
I can't seem to get in to the drops on my handlebars. All my mates look really comfy on either the hoods or the drops yet I feel really uncomfortable. What could I potentially do to help?
 
Just in case it hasn't been posted - reasons for you having more than one bike:

http://www.cyclingcartoons.com/more-than-one-bicycle/

Lead_Head said:
I can't seem to get in to the drops on my handlebars. All my mates look really comfy on either the hoods or the drops yet I feel really uncomfortable. What could I potentially do to help?
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First up, what do you find uncomfortable? Are you too stretched out, too hunched up, too low, too high? Are you coming from a mountain bike and new to road bikes?

Do you know anyone with a different size bike than yours that you can try? Specifically you need to sit on a bike that is longer or shorter than your one to see how it feels. Not everyone is the same - I prefer to ride a short bike because I have long legs and proportionally shorter arms. Also, not all bikes have the same steering geometry - if yours is a bit twitchy feeling you might feel uneasy in the drops on yours, but might be fine on another model which is set up for straight line stability.
 
Dimple said:
I'm on 25mm GatorHardshells on 100 psi but I'm seriously getting worried about ice on the roads and if I will be able to stay upright.
What are the experienced riders thoughts on this - should I be worried especially having a large steep hill I have to come down?
Click to expand...

Just go bloody slowly. If you're going to come off due to ice, there isn't a whole lot you can do about it.
 
Lead_Head said:
I can't seem to get in to the drops on my handlebars. All my mates look really comfy on either the hoods or the drops yet I feel really uncomfortable. What could I potentially do to help?
Click to expand...

I found it uncomfortable on my old bike I think because it was a little too big for me. New one feels fine though so I'd echo what has already been said, try some different bikes.
 
Lead_Head said:
I can't seem to get in to the drops on my handlebars. All my mates look really comfy on either the hoods or the drops yet I feel really uncomfortable. What could I potentially do to help?
Click to expand...

If you're coming from a MTB as I was (back in Aug when I got my first road bike) then yeah, it feels really weird using drops. Make an effort to use them as much as possible on a couple of rides and it wears off, trust me. For the first week or so I was convinced I'd never get used to the twitchiness.

To start with you can always try sitting as upright as you can in the drops (so essentially with straight arms) and then gradually get used to hunkering down to get a bit more aero.

I tend to stay on the hoods a lot while commuting anyway because of the better visibility, then go on the drops for downhills and long straights.
 
Crizzy said:
Hi,

Thanks for that,

I've been to a couple of bike shops, the latest being Evans in which the member of staff who I dealt with was really helpful. After having a look at the bikes I was interested in he got me to sit on it so he cold assess my posture. That bike was a 54" frame which he said I was stretching my arms a little too much for. They are going to order in the next size down and when it's delivered they will check for fit again to make sure the sizing is correct. If it's not quite corrct then you're right and I'll have to think again about which make/model I go for.

Hope you're enjoying your Roubaix!
Click to expand...

Be careful with Evans, they are more commercial so they will just sell you a bike. please please get a bike fitting elsewhere, i got told by evans, that i should be on a 60cm frame, but in actual fact it was incorrect as i ended up with a 56cm frame, i sat on a 60cm Trek and a 56cm Trek was much better for me, i bought the Roubaix over the Trek becase it had a longer stem, but everythin else was the same
 
ShiWarrior said:
Be careful with Evans, they are more commercial so they will just sell you a bike. please please get a bike fitting elsewhere, i got told by evans, that i should be on a 60cm frame, but in actual fact it was incorrect as i ended up with a 56cm frame, i sat on a 60cm Trek and a 56cm Trek was much better for me, i bought the Roubaix over the Trek becase it had a longer stem, but everythin else was the same
Click to expand...

The Madone and the Roubaix have completely different geometries. For a 56 frame the Roubaix head tube is 2cm longer and the effective top tube is shorter.
 
[DOD]Asprilla;23112211 said:
The Madone and the Roubaix have completely different geometries. For a 56 frame the Roubaix head tube is 2cm longer and the effective top tube is shorter.
Click to expand...

you are right yes, just checked :)

Crizzy, Heres a link to the website i got my bike from, at the botton of the bike pages you will notice the geometry sizes, put these two side by side and you can see how differrent they are at the same frame size, so you can see each brand is different, so on 56 frame for example might work for you, but another wont

http://www.sigmasport.co.uk/p/21836/trek-21-c-h2-bicycle-2012/

http://www.sigmasport.co.uk/p/21671/specialized-roubaix-elite-compact-bicycle-2012/
 
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