Road Cycling Gear Thread - what to buy, steal, borrow

[Calpol]

Road Cycling Gear Thread - buying advice

Further cleansing of the main thread. Post all bike purchase related enquiries or requests for advice in here.

What bike should I buy?
What wheels are a good upgrade?
Will my ass look big in these shorts?
Are sleeveless jerseys only for Tri-athletes and Grudas?

etc

I'll kick us off with my current purchase dilemma?

 

[Calpol]

My best bike (the white Wilier in the thread above) wants new wheels. It want's deep section rims. It told me this during several painful turbo sessions. In fact it has refused to leave the garage unless it has new wheels. So.......here is the brief

c50mm clincher wheels - can't be arsed with the faff of tubulars. the tyres are expensive and carrying a spare around is not my idea of fun. Even though I seldom puncture.

Shortlist - in no particular order

1. TokyoWheel - http://www.tokyowheel.com/products/epic-50-carbon-clincher-wheelset
For - warranty, looks, certainty on price, braking performance supposedly decent, professional website.
Against - relatively expensive vs Farsports etc - over $1000 for a decent spec. Weight on base spec is 1600g+

2. Farsports or Yoeleo - http://www.yoeleobike.com/sat-super-light-700c-carbon-clincher-wheelset-50mm.html
For - price, specification seems decent, can run tubeless, weight c1500g
Against - expensive to use warranty if required,
Price is c£550

3. Cycle Clinic - http://thecycleclinic.co.uk/collections/road-rim-brake-wheelsets/products/handbuilt-borg50-carbon-clinchers-from-1505g-20f-24r-25mm-wide
For - UK based, handbuilt by Malcom Borg who regularly posts on Bike Radar, spec looks similar
Against - Price looks expensive for base Miche hubset at £660 for 1650g build

4. Swissside Hadron 485 - http://www.swissside.com/swiss-side-hadron-project-update-24/
For - No faffing with brake pads and no breaking worries, relatively light at 1650g
Against - don't look as nice as all carbon wheels imo, price is c£700

5 Zuus - http://www.zuus.co.uk/zuus-z50-carbon-fibre-cycling-wheels-pair-50mm-rim-depth-clinchers-removable-logos-free-next-day-delivery/

For - Price, UK based warranty, Seems you can also now remove the Zuus stickers

Against - Are they too cheap to be ok. Or perfect for casual riding

Realistically these will be summer wheels. I am 74kg so not mega powerfull but I like a stiff wheel for blasting up climbs. £700 really is the toop of my budget range. Getting the Chinese ones leaves money for tubes, tyres and maybe even a spare cassette.

Any thoughts chaps?

 

[Calpol]

Good idea for a thread man, I was thinking the other day would be good to have a show off your gear thread, similar to the bike galleries but for your other gear. This would be handy to have all gear related stuff in here like that

Garmin speed/cadence sensors. Anybody using these with their Edge device? I have a Forerunner 620 watch, and the ability to use these sensors I have found out was added, so I can get away without getting an Edge IMO. Going to buy the sensors but does anyone have pictures of them fitted to the bike, are they neat enough and hassle free on the bike? Thanks.

They work well and once installed you can forget about them. I think the newer version is even better.
http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2014/05/garmins-spd-cad-magnetless-sensors.html

Thats probably overkill for what you need.

This is the standard one http://www.amazon.co.uk/Garmin-Cadence-Sensor-Forerunner-Montana/dp/B000BFNOT8 and it is fine. One tip I would give is that the crank arm magnet is a bit of a faff. I got a tiny magnet from ebay and stuck it on the end of the pedal spindle. More secure and tidier.

 

[Calpol]

FLO60s. Will work out around £500 from the top of my head inc. shipping & taxes/duty. Aluminium braking track, plus you can always buy a 30 front/90 rear to cover more bases and switch in/out as and when. I've got a set of 30s and a 60/90 set and love them. Forget about the weight, it's really not an issue unless you're talking a big difference.

Flo 60s look more like $900 a set and weigh c1900g. I know they have a good rep but I think there are better options for me.

 

[Calpol]

My best bike (the white Wilier in the thread above) wants new wheels. It want's deep section rims. It told me this during several painful turbo sessions. In fact it has refused to leave the garage unless it has new wheels. So.......here is the brief

c50mm clincher wheels - can't be arsed with the faff of tubulars. the tyres are expensive and carrying a spare around is not my idea of fun. Even though I seldom puncture.

Spoiler

Shortlist - in no particular order

1. TokyoWheel - http://www.tokyowheel.com/products/epic-50-carbon-clincher-wheelset
For - warranty, looks, certainty on price, braking performance supposedly decent, professional website.
Against - relatively expensive vs Farsports etc - over $1000 for a decent spec. Weight on base spec is 1600g+

2. Farsports or Yoeleo - http://www.yoeleobike.com/sat-super-light-700c-carbon-clincher-wheelset-50mm.html
For - price, specification seems decent, can run tubeless, weight c1500g
Against - expensive to use warranty if required,
Price is c£550

3. Cycle Clinic - http://thecycleclinic.co.uk/collections/road-rim-brake-wheelsets/products/handbuilt-borg50-carbon-clinchers-from-1505g-20f-24r-25mm-wide
For - UK based, handbuilt by Malcom Borg who regularly posts on Bike Radar, spec looks similar
Against - Price looks expensive for base Miche hubset at £660 for 1650g build

4. Swissside Hadron 485 - http://www.swissside.com/swiss-side-hadron-project-update-24/
For - No faffing with brake pads and no breaking worries, relatively light at 1650g
Against - don't look as nice as all carbon wheels imo, price is c£700

5 Zuus - http://www.zuus.co.uk/zuus-z50-carbon-fibre-cycling-wheels-pair-50mm-rim-depth-clinchers-removable-logos-free-next-day-delivery/

For - Price, UK based warranty, Seems you can also now remove the Zuus stickers

Against - Are they too cheap to be ok. Or perfect for casual riding

Realistically these will be summer wheels. I am 74kg so not mega powerfull but I like a stiff wheel for blasting up climbs. £700 really is the toop of my budget range. Getting the Chinese ones leaves money for tubes, tyres and maybe even a spare cassette.

Any thoughts chaps?

Well I have sorted it. Was browsing Weight Weenies last night and came across a guy selling a 100 mile set of Farsports 50mm, "U" 23mm wide clinchers. Pretty much new and for £300. SO I have bought them and the bits I need to go with them. Should turn up midweek.

http://www.wheelsfar.com/road-wheels/clincher/24cn-20-5mm-width/38mm-x-20-5mm-clincher-wheelset-378.html
These with the Novatec Hubs and weigh around 1490g.

 

[Calpol]

Anyone recommend a cheap(ish) upgrade for my wheelset? Currently got these as they came with my Planet X. Looking at £300-350 or so.

Tough choice. A bit more info might help
What sort of riding do you do?
How heavy/light are you?

I really prefer my 23mm wide rims. I have Soul S3.0 for summer and Fulcrum 5 for winter. Fulcrum fives have been bombproof but they feel noticeably harsher and heavier.

I would recommend you look at a build using Pacenti SL23, H Plus Son Archetype or similar. 23mm rims seem smoother, corner better and can be run with lower pressure.

http://www.superstarcomponents.com/en/pacenti-sl23-volta-evo-wheelset.htm

http://www.superstarcomponents.com/en/pacenti-sl23-icon-ultra-11speed-wheelset.htm

Superstar get some bad press but these look decent value. No doubt someone will com along and recommend the ubiquitous Campagnolo Zonda. Fine wheels at this price point but 19mm wide. Personally I am sold on wider is better.

 

[Calpol]

I have been using Swisstop Yellow and they are good in the dry, not so good in the wet until the water clears off the rim (more the rims fault than the pads). Wear rate is pretty high and lots of yellow flakes and dust come off them.

Noisy on long (1/2 hour) descents where lots of braking!

Better than cork pads which just stink when people panic break and don't work at all in the wet. But thats all ive tried so not much of a sample size.

I was going to try these on my Reynolds Strikes...

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/lifeline-performance-carbon-road-brake-inserts-pack-of-4/

Reynolds say you lose your warranty if you don't use their pads but they are £22 for 4!

Anyone know of the best place to pick up some koolstop salmons?

Also recomendations for pads for use with carbon tubs?

I just ordered some Campagnolo ones to try on my soon to be delivered Farsports 50mm wheels. I'll report back as to their efficiency.