Road Cycling Essentials

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Some folks have more money than sense. Chap at work is riding a BTwin triple while training for a triathlon but he's decided he wants a new bike for training, triathlons and commuting.

Fair enough.

However, he wants to spend around £3,000 on something exotic with DA Di2. Fine for racing, but I think a bit of overkill for 200 miles a week training and the locking up outside our office (one of the team had their bike stolen last week).

I thought I'd had a breskthrough when
I persuaded him to get a 2008 Soloist frame off eBay. I thought that £200 on second hand group (5600 or similar), contact points and cheap strong wheels would give him a fantastic commuter / trainer and then he could spend more in a weekender or even get a TT bike.

Apparently he wants Di2 and Zipps on the Cervelo.

I'll keep plugging away.
 
Shadowness said:
Don't suppose anyone on here is doing the Shakespeare Spring 100 ride on Sunday?

It's my first event. Only 100km, which should be pretty easy. Hoping to earn a 'gold' time, of sub 3.30. My last 60 mile ride I did in 3.19, but I think this route will be more hilly
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Yep I'll be there :D
Gold for my age group is 3 hours 55 mins, but aiming for sub 3 hours 30mins.

Also doing the 100 mile summer route in September as well as the BHF 50 mile ride on 29th April.
Hoping to make this a 100 mile ride, by the end of the day.

Planning to ride to all the events so making it a good long day.
 
Mr Flibble said:
I'd better invest in a blonde wig then. Have you any references supporting this claim and explaining why brunette or purple is less good please? Any recommendations on wig retailers - I can't find any on wiggle/CRC/ribble etc. :(

EDIT: what about a blonde wig on or under a helmet?
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Here you go, http://www.bath.ac.uk/news/articles/archive/overtaking110906.html. I was being slightly facetious but cycling on the road is pretty safe, about the same risk as walking and I'm sure you don't wear a helmet for that.
 
I'd rather be wearing my helmet regardless.

Most of the time when I fall off it's my fault. The helmet means I get back up and be a bit sore but can carry on. If I didn't have it I may end up with a massive lump on my head and be a little annoyed.
 
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Just to add to the debate (note that I do wear a helmet), I've been hit by a car and come off on the road multiple times and never hit my head or helmet. Off road I seem to hit my head 50% of the times I crash so I would definitely consider it more important when doing MTB or CX.
 
Came off on ice at Christmas... smashed the visor on my helmet and left a gouge out of the grass wear I came off (from the helmet).

If you have something worth protecting up there, wear a helmet. If you don't well.. go without eh ;-)
 
I got hit by a car, smashed my helmet on the road (split into many pieces). I still had brain injury but a couple of years on I am over it. pretty sure i would be far worse off if i had not been wearing a helmet.

Still, i completely respect peoples choices on this topic.
 
a mate who i ride with is a nurse with some expertise in cranial injuries

a couple of years ago we had a big spill on some black ice and one of our riders took a bad hit to the head

said nurse friend said to me afterward, quite simply

"if he hadnt been wearing a helmet, i'd have held him and kept him calm as he slipped away"

Helmets. Wear them.
 
I think I’ve given myself a chest infection / some respiratory problem from my cycle on Sunday and evening cycle Monday, my throat and chest burn with every deep(ish) breath.

I’m going to have a cycle free Saturday in the hope to clear it a bit so I can go for a decent ride on Sunday. Serves me right for thinking it’s short sleeve jersey weather!
 
In case anybody is interested, Chain Reaction Cycles have £10 off on orders over £75 today - use the voucher code "WKND1" at the check out. I suspect most people who read this thread will already have gotten their email about this today, but I figured it was worth posting just in case.
 
Oh for ***** sake.
I ordered 80 quids worth of clothes yesterday!
Just dropped them a email to see if they can retroavtively add it or cancel the order so I can re-do it.
 
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Saundie said:
In case anybody is interested, Chain Reaction Cycles have £10 off on orders over £75 today - use the voucher code "WKND1" at the check out. I suspect most people who read this thread will already have gotten their email about this today, but I figured it was worth posting just in case.
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Thanks for the heads up :)

I need clothes, tyres, tubes, degreaser, another lock...... :(

I'm saving money by not driving, but still spending on gear! I know it'll pay off in the long run though.
 
Gribs said:
Here you go, http://www.bath.ac.uk/news/articles/archive/overtaking110906.html. I was being slightly facetious but cycling on the road is pretty safe, about the same risk as walking and I'm sure you don't wear a helmet for that.
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uniQ said:
http://www.cycle-helmets.com/cyclingworld.htm
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk/wiki/Cycle_helmet_debate
http://www.overcomingbias.com/2010/09/bike-helmet-doubts.html
Etc.
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Well, I've read all the links, and I can only find one mention of wigs, but none about blondeness.

To test another theory, Dr Walker donned a long wig to see whether there was any difference in passing distance when drivers thought they were overtaking what appeared to be a female cyclist.

Whilst wearing the wig, drivers gave him an average of 14 centimetres (5.5 inches) more space when passing.

In future research, Dr Walker hopes to discover whether this was because female riders are seen as less predictable than male riders, or because women are not seen riding bicycles as often as men on the UK’s roads.
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Sadly, I think my feeble attempt at being facetious (like you, Gribs) was missed by most. ;)
 
Two friends have been off in the last year and took bad blows to the head, enough to break the helmets. I have no doubt that their helmets prevented their heads getting smashed up.
 
I mashed up my face meeting a brick wall at about 18-20mph after an unexpected slash through the sidewall of my road bike tyre mid corner about 10 years ago. Minor scuff only on my helmet, but I was grateful for all the protection I could have - it may have saved me from breaking my zygomatic arch (cheekbone). Obviously I replaced the helmet. I'm a bit clumsy sometimes on my bike...
 
I always wear a helmet and it has either saved my life or avoided a very nasty trip to the hospital.

I was cycling down a hill and when I braked at the bottom the front quick release sheered and my front wheel fell off. The woman who stopped to help me said all she saw was me flying through the air across a car park and landing on my head. My helmet did it's job and cracked instead of my head. God knows what injuries I would have sustained without it.


Now for the reason I came into this thread. I'm looking at dropping £300 on a B'Twin Triban 3 from Decathlon to replace my Carrera Kraken for my daily commute. Anyone got any experience with this bike or any alternatives?
 
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