Road Cycling Essentials

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what rides have you lot got planned for 2014? I probably want to enter some of the evanscycles ones.. 50-90 mile long.. would be good motivation to get out :o :) anything else in london/around london that's worth doing?
 
Archangelus said:
Hi all,

I've been riding round on 17kg's of Btwin riverside 5 touring hybrid, and the time has come for something a bit lighter and faster.
My budget is up to £500, so I've narrowed the field down to either a Triban 5 from Decathlon @ £425, or a 2013 Defy 4 triple from my LBS @ £499.

Any thoughts or comments on either bike before I commit?

Thanks.
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Second hand is another option to get some better spec (obvious sizing factors to bear in mind).
 
hey guys!

Have popped in here as i bought some bikes over Christmas, a road Mekk Pinarelo 1.5 (Tiagra 10 speed) and a Trek 4700.

Decided on two as a hybrid didn't seem to offer as good a compromise as i hoped.

My question is around pedals, and SPD. The Mekk will be for proper exercise riding and the Trek more for family rides out and leisure with the odd off-road excursion.

So i am thinking about getting some combination single SPD/normal pedal jobbie for the Mekk (Shimano A530?) but am unlikely to use it without cycling shoes, so should maybe just get some double sided?

And pop some A530 combi's on the Trek?

Has anyone used combination pedals? For either cleat or standard riding? Any tips/ideas/suggestions?
 
As mentioned, I completed the festive 500.

Only just though as I felt like crap for most of it. So glad for some cycling friends who got me out when I wanted to stay in bed!

As for next year i've entered the wiggle no excuses and cobbler sportives in march and im planning on doing lots of TTs
 
I don't think I'm planning any sportives this year. I'm doing the cycling leg of the London triathlon relay in August, and I'll take a day off work for a metric century at or around my birthday in March. Other than it'll just be the usual 40-50 milers I expect. I might do the Manchester to Blackpool night ride in September, but that'll be a tough sell with the mrs, given that it'll screw me up for at least a day after.
 
Ah well, I didn't do as far as planned today, it was really hot when I got out (28c at 9am, the long term average top temperature for January is only 28.3c!) and into a 40kmh headwind for the first 20km.

That didn't really fill me with enthusiasm to keep going so instead I rode a different route which mixed it up a little bit and gave me an awesome tailwind to fly back home with.

Still managed 46km @ 31.9kmh and I felt like I had a little bit left in the tank so with any luck I can still manage a decent ride tomorrow.
 
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Pug said:
hey guys!

Have popped in here as i bought some bikes over Christmas, a road Mekk Pinarelo 1.5 (Tiagra 10 speed) and a Trek 4700.

Decided on two as a hybrid didn't seem to offer as good a compromise as i hoped.

My question is around pedals, and SPD. The Mekk will be for proper exercise riding and the Trek more for family rides out and leisure with the odd off-road excursion.

So i am thinking about getting some combination single SPD/normal pedal jobbie for the Mekk (Shimano A530?) but am unlikely to use it without cycling shoes, so should maybe just get some double sided?

And pop some A530 combi's on the Trek?

Has anyone used combination pedals? For either cleat or standard riding? Any tips/ideas/suggestions?
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Yeah double sided for your mekk, hybrid ones for the family stop-start option sounds like a good plan.
 
uniQ said:
Beast, well done mate, definitely jelly :)
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Thank you, I was just pleased to get it done.

daveski said:
As mentioned, I completed the festive 500.

Only just though as I felt like crap for most of it. So glad for some cycling friends who got me out when I wanted to stay in bed!

As for next year i've entered the wiggle no excuses and cobbler sportives in march and im planning on doing lots of TTs
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Good effort, well done!
 
Well that's it. 2013 is over. And on the whole it has been an excellent year of cycling. The highlight far above anything else is descending/climbing Sa Colabra, and enjoying a delicious Paella in Soller, Majorca. I can not wait to go back in 2014.

A slightly disappointing Christmas period however. I would have liked to get out a bit more than I did. But hey ho. I was too busy, and when i did have free time it was piddling it down and blowing a gale.

Happy new year! :D
 
Well 2013 was a good year for me. Set a new record for my annual mileage, did more centuries than ever before and enjoyed the bike more than before, I haven't yet quite migrated from a commuting cyclist that occasionally rides to a proper cyclist but I think I will be this year. Might even get out on a club run but I can't be doing with all the TTing and what have you.

Have no real cycling goals this year other than 7 days of hard cycling in the Pyrenees.
 
topgun06 said:
Are you going got 7 days? Or are you planning any rest days?

I can't do anything but go back to Majorca this year. It was that good! But in 2015 id like to try the Pyrenees or Alps!
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what was the total cost like for 7 days? :) something I'd love to do.
 
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