Road Cycling Essentials

grudas · 28 Feb 2013 at 16:43

[Damien];23850875 said:
I've got 46/36 and 12-27 on mine and I only struggle on the stupidly steep stuff (20%+) so yeah, sticking a cassette with a 27 low end on should make the world of difference. I'd stick a cassette with something in the 30's on if I could for the steep stuff but 27 is the max I can go without sticking a long cage rear on.

Yeah but you weigh as much as a crisp packet so that's no great feat

im not that bad cmon! im 5'9 same as you AFAIK? and im 12.2 stone...

pretty much the perfect weight for my height!

[Damien] · 28 Feb 2013 at 16:46

I'm just messing.

As far as I'm concerned anyone lighter than me is a twiglet and that's why they're usually faster.

My poor poor ego...

I'm sure watching me climbing hills is hilarious for anyone behind me. It's like I'm trying to stomp them to death. My cadence on anything steep is probably about 10rpm and I'm usually trying to rip the handlebars off to provide more force.

I wish I was half the weight so I could just float up them like all the twiglets.

grudas · 28 Feb 2013 at 16:48

[Damien];23850956 said:
I'm just messing. As far as I'm concerned anyone lighter than me is a twiglet and that's why they're usually faster.

My poor poor ego...

booo

touch · 28 Feb 2013 at 16:59

[Damien];23850956 said:
I wish I was half the weight so I could just float up them like all the twiglets.

It's not about weight, it's about power:weight ratio

Heavy guys can climb too.

godinman · 28 Feb 2013 at 17:03

So then, an 11-28 9 speed. Forgive my noobiness, but how do I tell if it will fit my bike? I assume there a different sized rear hub type things that it fits over?

saddler · 28 Feb 2013 at 17:09

touch said:
It's not about weight, it's about power:weight ratio
Heavy guys can climb too.

Yup, I'm 5'8" and weigh 50kg and I suck at climbing as I have no leg power

uniQ · 28 Feb 2013 at 17:12

A Shimano 9 speed is a Shimano 9 speed. SRAM would also be compatible. Only thing to watch out for is the cog size your rear mech supports. Haven't looked for a while and Shimano are generally quite conservative on their tech docs but I think a a short cage would be fine up to 27/28.

grudas · 28 Feb 2013 at 17:14

saddler said:
Yup, I'm 5'8" and weigh 50kg and I suck at climbing as I have no leg power

jesus christ.. :eek:

just how do you manage to stay so skinny? EAT TRAIN BECOME BEEF = win.

saddler · 28 Feb 2013 at 17:29

grudas said:
jesus christ.. just how do you manage to stay so skinny? EAT TRAIN BECOME BEEF = win.

Change in lifestyle got me down to this weight. Four years ago I weighed 85kg and did no exercise. Now, as well as cycling to work, I do a lot of running, usually 130-150 miles per month.

Its the running that keeps the weight down as you dont want to carry a gram more than necessary. Some more leg muscle for cycling would be nice though!

godinman · 28 Feb 2013 at 17:31

Sora = "Total capacity : SS 31T" So, does that mean I could have a 11-31 if it were to exist? Or is there another factor?

Thanks for the help guys, this is a bloomin handy place. :cool:

helpimcrap · 28 Feb 2013 at 18:10

touch said:
It's not about weight, it's about power:weight ratio
Heavy guys can climb too.

saddler said:
Yup, I'm 5'8" and weigh 50kg and I suck at climbing as I have no leg power

Correct to a point. I'm 6'1" and weigh 81/82/81kg (depending on the size of the cake i had that day!!

).

I'm still training to get fit at cycling but i was out with cycling club at weekend (and it was the slower ones not the racing lads) and I was able to catch up 50m on them, overtake them all and put 50m into them up the hills.

I was killing myself doing it but i managed it for about 20 miles!

One commented that because i was on the big front cog i've got some power in my legs.

Because of my injuries and the weather i can't risk running with the fast lads as they won't stop lol...

[Damien] · 28 Feb 2013 at 18:44

grudas said:
booo

You're a big meanie and you make me sad

grudas said:
jesus christ.. just how do you manage to stay so skinny? EAT TRAIN BECOME BEEF = win.

I know, that's mental. I'd be hitting the squats and oats like a madman if that was me.

touch said:
It's not about weight, it's about power:weight ratio
Heavy guys can climb too.

Yeah, I get that and I'm not a bad climber, especially for my height/weight. I'd just love to see how well I could do it if I got a fair bit lighter. I've lost a stone since last Octoberish so I'm not doing too badly.

I used to do a lot of squats/deadlifts etc as part of my weights routine at home. After a bad lift and a quadricep tendon sprain/minor tear (MRI couldn't tell which) my long standing fat pad impingement has been a million times worse on my left knee, to the point where I had to quit doing squats as it was aggravating it. They used to be equally dodgy before the injury but since my right knee has taken over from my dodgier left 99% of the time and gotten stronger my right one seems fine.

I loved doing squats but now if I try and do one with any added weight whatsoever my brain nopes out and tries to offload the effort onto my healthy leg. I just subconsciously don't trust that knee any more as I never know when it'll pinch and cause me pain.

Anyways, long story short I like climbing because it's like one legged squats and it rarely flares up while I'm cycling.

platypus · 28 Feb 2013 at 18:50

uniQ said:
Cheers they look pretty good w/ good reviews, might see if I can borrow a pair from a friend to try.

I have a pair of ~2 year old Look Keos that I've wanted to replace (non carbon ones) sat on my tri-bike that we might be able to come to a certain arrangement for?

platypus · 28 Feb 2013 at 18:52

grudas said:
im not that bad cmon! im 5'9 same as you AFAIK? and im 12.2 stone... pretty much the perfect weight for my height!

I'm back under 11 stone for the first time in years after a fairly hard winter \o/ (running and cycling); sitting handily at 65KGs. 5'11

.

6thElement · 28 Feb 2013 at 19:36

godinman said:
Sora = "Total capacity : SS 31T" So, does that mean I could have a 11-31 if it were to exist? Or is there another factor?

Thanks for the help guys, this is a bloomin handy place.

The capacity you require = (BIG ring - small ring) + (BIG cog - small cog)

So that rear derailleur can support up to 31.

Shamrock · 28 Feb 2013 at 19:44

uniQ said:
I need an extra set of pedals now, the Ultegras are 260g and looking pretty hammered, could pick up another set for around £100 or go for something lighter like the Xpedo Thrust Ti 8. Fits SPD so I won't need to replace my cleats and only 170g.

Or I could switch completely to Look, Time, Speedplay etc? But have zero experience with any non SPD pedals. Would also need two sets (2 bikes).

Speedplay Zero!

godinman · 28 Feb 2013 at 19:46

Darn, so I'm just one under this limit now then?

50-34=16 25-11=14

16 + 14 = 30

Is that correct?

VeNT · 28 Feb 2013 at 19:57

Had to go to hospital today (unrelated) but ended up being weighed on some fancy scales (guessing more accurate than home ones) 78Kg,
as the bathroom scales said I was 13st + I'm going to take this as a win....

[DOD]Asprilla · 28 Feb 2013 at 20:01

uniQ said:
Cheers they look pretty good w/ good reviews, might see if I can borrow a pair from a friend to try.

I've got Max 2 Carbons on the summer bike too. Highly recommended.

touch · 28 Feb 2013 at 20:07

VeNT said:
Had to go to hospital today (unrelated) but ended up being weighed on some fancy scales (guessing more accurate than home ones) 78Kg,
as the bathroom scales said I was 13st + I'm going to take this as a win....

If you have to stay in a bed they give you a pair of compression tights/socks as well :cool: