Road Cycling

madindehead · 19 Jun 2016 at 18:28

Some of the roads today just make me really want something like a Roubaix, with the Zertz inserts. The road surface is terrible, with stones and mud down the middle, and lots of pot holes. Didn't feel overly comfortable riding on them with my Tarmac.

Going to skip those roads next time. And then probably look into a Roubaix for next year. Should be capable of doing a bit of off-road too.

FrenchTart · 19 Jun 2016 at 18:38

I'd love to pop over to Europe to ride on some nice roads. Or even to somewhere near London as even there puts Manchester roads to shame.

Jono · 19 Jun 2016 at 18:43

madindehead said:
Some of the roads today just make me really want something like a Roubaix, with the Zertz inserts. The road surface is terrible, with stones and mud down the middle, and lots of pot holes. Didn't feel overly comfortable riding on them with my Tarmac.

Going to skip those roads next time. And then probably look into a Roubaix for next year. Should be capable of doing a bit of off-road too.

Me too. Done a paltry 90 miles this weekend over the two days and my arse is in tatters.

Bear · 19 Jun 2016 at 18:48

FrenchTart said:
I'd love to pop over to Europe to ride on some nice roads. Or even to somewhere near London as even there puts Manchester roads to shame.

Me too, I fancy putting my bike in the back of my car and visiting Trentino as it looks beautiful.

madindehead · 19 Jun 2016 at 18:48

Jono said:
Me too. Done a paltry 90 miles this weekend over the two days and my arse is in tatters.

I definitely need to look at my saddle. But some of the roads have so much crap in the middle, and are so rough, something to take out more of the road buzz would help a lot.

FrenchTart · 19 Jun 2016 at 18:50

Bear said:
Me too, I fancy putting my bike in the back of my car and visiting Trentino as it looks beautiful.

Drive by Manchester on the way and pick me up would you?

PermaBanned · 19 Jun 2016 at 19:17

madindehead said:
Some of the roads today just make me really want something like a Roubaix, with the Zertz inserts. The road surface is terrible, with stones and mud down the middle, and lots of pot holes. Didn't feel overly comfortable riding on them with my Tarmac.

Going to skip those roads next time. And then probably look into a Roubaix for next year. Should be capable of doing a bit of off-road too.

You don't want some super high end fancy frame that may or may not have an impact on ride quality. You want wider tyres.

Vonhelmet · 19 Jun 2016 at 19:21

Steel frame, wide tyres. Job done.

Saytan · 19 Jun 2016 at 19:57

gave in and pulled the trigger on some veloflex masters for my summer steelie.

Full report upon delivery.

Saytan · 19 Jun 2016 at 19:59

Vonhelmet said:
Steel frame, wide tyres. Job done.

for all the talk about steel frames, wide tyres will make faaaaaar more difference

and it's only really the nice stuff that has the "steel feel"

dod · 19 Jun 2016 at 20:00

first time on the bike in two weeks and it felt like it

https://www.strava.com/activities/614081381

oli collett · 19 Jun 2016 at 20:57

madindehead said:
Some of the roads today just make me really want something like a Roubaix, with the Zertz inserts. The road surface is terrible, with stones and mud down the middle, and lots of pot holes. Didn't feel overly comfortable riding on them with my Tarmac.

Going to skip those roads next time. And then probably look into a Roubaix for next year. Should be capable of doing a bit of off-road too.

I certainly noticed some horrendous roads in the Chilterns today, made Surrey seem like the alps

One More Solo · 19 Jun 2016 at 21:11

Saytan said:
for all the talk about steel frames, wide tyres will make faaaaaar more difference

and it's only really the nice stuff that has the "steel feel"

You don't have to break the bank though. My 753 tube Dawes is definitely my most comfy bike and only cost 150 quid. It's from an era when 23mm tyres were considered plush so no chance of fitting anything wider sadly.

madindehead · 19 Jun 2016 at 21:40

PermaBanned said:
You don't want some super high end fancy frame that may or may not have an impact on ride quality. You want wider tyres.

Already on 25s. I'm not sure how much more clearance I have on my frame to go to 28s. It looks pretty damn tight. Not sure that they will fit.

I have spoken to someone who has ridden a Tarmac and a Roubaix on the same roads I ride on, and he said that difference was fairly noticeable. Granted, he was someone working in a bike shop, but that's all I have to go on.

Saytan · 19 Jun 2016 at 21:53

One More Solo said:
You don't have to break the bank though. My 753 tube Dawes is definitely my most comfy bike and only cost 150 quid. It's from an era when 23mm tyres were considered plush so no chance of fitting anything wider sadly.

I've a stunner of a 653 Record Ribble, built by autostrada. Paid a couple of hundred quid for it with 8-speed ultegra, though I've upgraded it to mid-2000s campag stuff now. It's a glorious thing. I'm fully expecting things to get a little bit sexual when I put veloflex masters on it. Has the tightest clearances I've ever seen, brake pads all the way to the top of the slots!

Got a pic of the Dawes? I didn't know they built in 753

One More Solo · 19 Jun 2016 at 22:29

Saytan said:
I've a stunner of a 653 Record Ribble, built by autostrada. Paid a couple of hundred quid for it with 8-speed ultegra, though I've upgraded it to mid-2000s campag stuff now. It's a glorious thing. I'm fully expecting things to get a little bit sexual when I put veloflex masters on it. Has the tightest clearances I've ever seen, brake pads all the way to the top of the slots!

Got a pic of the Dawes? I didn't know they built in 753

Derp - 653. I think there's a pic in the gallery thread somewhere, it's got no wheels on currently!

Saytan · 19 Jun 2016 at 22:43

One More Solo said:
Derp - 653. I think there's a pic in the gallery thread somewhere, it's got no wheels on currently!

653 is a cracking tubeset.

PermaBanned · 19 Jun 2016 at 23:07

I think 28s or even 32s are probably a better fit for general riding on British roads. Unless you're sticking to well maintained highways or whatever, the difference in speed isn't really that noticeable unless you're racing and you'll generally find that not being afraid to try different roads or routes, or any of the national cycle network, really opens some new avenues for you.

Steel can help, can't speak for the differences in tubing. Only ridden 501, but I've got no complaints. Can see my bottom bracket flexing a bit on hard sprints on the trainer but I'm not too fussed.

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBPXKA...k-sram-apex-final-countdown-edition-road-bike

Berger · 20 Jun 2016 at 09:35

Did the Zwift Canyon Pretzel challenge this morning. It's a 72.5km route with 1350m of climbing.

Good triathlon/TT training, spent 90% of more of the ride between 200 and 300w.

Started off feeling like crap and even thought about getting off after 30 mins, was just turning the pedals over climbing slowly at 240-250w (3.1w/kg). My breakfast must have kicked in as an hour later I was feeling OK and after 2 hours and going over the mountain the second time I did the last 15 minutes at 300w feeling good!

Now i just need to win that bike!

My wife did say the kickr was a little loud for 5:30am... It's in the garage so the sound must echo round a bit too... Does buying the mat help reduce the noise?

madindehead · 20 Jun 2016 at 09:39

Berger said:
Did the Zwift Canyon Pretzel challenge this morning. It's a 72.5km route with 1350m of climbing.

Good triathlon/TT training, spent 90% of more of the ride between 200 and 300w.

Started off feeling like crap and even thought about getting off after 30 mins, was just turning the pedals over climbing slowly at 240-250w (3.1w/kg). My breakfast must have kicked in as an hour later I was feeling OK and after 2 hours and going over the mountain the second time I did the last 15 minutes at 300w feeling good!

Now i just need to win that bike!

My wife did say the kickr was a little loud for 5:30am... It's in the garage so the sound must echo round a bit too... Does buying the mat help reduce the noise?

My girlfriend certainly hasn't complained when I'm on the Kickr at 6am. I have the mat underneath, and it's pretty spongy, so it probably absorbs a fair amount of the noise.

@ Permabanned

About the tyres, the big problem that a lot of frames just don't have the clearance for 28s or 32s.

My Tarmac SL4 doesn't have clearance for 28s, but I think the newer frame (the Rider First engineered one, that's used on the higher end models) does have the clearance now.