Road Cycling Essentials
- Thread starter Matutu
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Noooooooooooooooo! Those were my gloves that I totalled when I came off my bike last week - they were great.
Stitches out today, which is nice. Arm is oozing after. Still got quite a lot of chest wall pain and right hip pain, but I'm so fed up with public transport I'm planning to be back on the bike on Monday.
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Worse than that. I dropped them somewhere
![[DOD]Asprilla](/styles/overclockers/avatars/8.png){kind=avatar}
Soldato
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Depends how far you want go really. I found my fixed good for 17 miles each way commuting but further than that on a regular basis was too much, especially when it was windy and my knees were cold.
A chap does almost the same commute as I do now (lives near me and works near my office) and I think he uses his fixed two days a week and gears the rest.
If you want to go into the Surrey Hills the I'd get a cheap road bike, not a hybrid.
A chap does almost the same commute as I do now (lives near me and works near my office) and I think he uses his fixed two days a week and gears the rest.
If you want to go into the Surrey Hills the I'd get a cheap road bike, not a hybrid.
I only want it to commute to work on, a mere 8.5 miles a day. The bike with the Nexus hub was absolutely fine until it started grinding when in 5th gear or above. Attempting to lubricate it failed miserably, and despite the efforts of the LBS, it now refuses to work in anything other than the bottom two and top two gears. It is, as such, effectively useless.
The Alfine equip bike is better, but it's a real pain to get the tension correct in the gear change cable, so it'll quite often fail to properly engage the gear. This results in the gear slipping, which is pretty frustrating and potentially dangerous.
I've not ridden fixed before, is it best to try one out before buying one, or should I just "man up" and get on with it?
The Alfine equip bike is better, but it's a real pain to get the tension correct in the gear change cable, so it'll quite often fail to properly engage the gear. This results in the gear slipping, which is pretty frustrating and potentially dangerous.
I've not ridden fixed before, is it best to try one out before buying one, or should I just "man up" and get on with it?
Soldato
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My commuter bike is a cheap singlespeed road bike with flip-flop rear wheel. I choose to run it on the freewheel side rather than fixed. Fixed isn't for me, but I'm happy doing my 7 miles singlespeed.
Suspended
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I've got Monday off. I'm going to Condor Cycles. My wife has said that I can buy Rapha - very happy 
Soldato
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I've got Monday off. I'm going to Condor Cycles. My wife has said that I can buy Rapha - very happy
I work across the road; it's a dangerous place.
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You're welcome to try mine before you buy
I'd say start with something with a flip flop hub, because then you have the choice. Fixed isn't for everyone, but the freedom of a freewheel single speed is quite liberating and low maintenance.
Don't ditch gears completely though. I know your route, so I know it's slightly uphill all the way and often riding into the prevailing wind. If it's more than a gust, it can be quite punishing if you have to use the same gear all week
Thanks Jonny69. The idea of a single speed freewheel appeals to me much more than the idea of going fixed, to be honest.
I just want a bike that I can get on and ride every day without having to worry about the gears needing adjusting. I have been looking around for something very basic that doesn't look as though it's been made out of old gas pipes. Something like this but with a seven speed derailer on the back would be ideal. I have seen bikes with such gearing for sale, but they have flat bars, which I don't really like.
I just want a bike that I can get on and ride every day without having to worry about the gears needing adjusting. I have been looking around for something very basic that doesn't look as though it's been made out of old gas pipes. Something like this but with a seven speed derailer on the back would be ideal. I have seen bikes with such gearing for sale, but they have flat bars, which I don't really like.
Soldato
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If you want to try SS for a bit then why not pick up a Langster of ebay or Gumtree. There are loads out there and I don't think the geometry has changed for years.
Soldato
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Kona paddy waggon is another popular drop bar SS bike.
Suspended
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[DOD]Asprilla;20546620 said:
In the SFO, or ITN?
Soldato
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Right building, wrong companies though.....
Suspended
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[DOD]Asprilla;20550906 said:
Aah...well we'll leave that there then
You're spoilt with decent cycling shops in that area though.
Used to go to Butty Boys for my lunch every day. The toasted mozzarella & bacon panini is yum!
Soldato
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I rarely go beyond The Lader to be honest. Roast beef with horseradish on focaccia with a brownie, a flapjack, a banana and a muffin usually sees me right for the trip home. Oh and their sausage and bacon sarnie is about three inches thick.
God I love cycling, that's a standard feed for work time and I'm still losing body fat.
I pop into Condor for bits and bobs (their own brand tools I've found to be very good for instance) but if I need work doing I drop it into the place round the corner on Clerkenwell Road who can usually do most stuff without a booking.
God I love cycling, that's a standard feed for work time and I'm still losing body fat.
I pop into Condor for bits and bobs (their own brand tools I've found to be very good for instance) but if I need work doing I drop it into the place round the corner on Clerkenwell Road who can usually do most stuff without a booking.
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Do 14T single speed freewheels in standard thread size exist? Can only find the smaller 29mm thread sizes on ebay.
Currently running 44/16 but want to change to 44/14 or even 44/15. Don't really want to fork out for 48/16 or 50/16!
Currently running 44/16 but want to change to 44/14 or even 44/15. Don't really want to fork out for 48/16 or 50/16!
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