Road Cycling

grudas · 27 Aug 2015 at 21:05

Dunks said:
Close call today.

Riding primary past some parked cars, pass them and start moving to the left, light ahead turns amber so I come to a stop, car behind me who must be incredibly focused on passing me sails through the red light at around 30 mph missing someone crossing by around 2 meters.

Madness.

Literally rained every time I cycled to and from work this week, seemingly nice before I set off and then boom, rain!

exactly the same here!!

super annoying, I ran out of dry shorts ffs! even went to evans and bought some endura 260's which are quite nice! got them for £45 instead of 56ish? some random one-day-in-store-only 15% off... and I also picked a new rear light(have too many already but never happy with them)

here's a quick video for anyone who needs a new light -;

its not cheap at £45(39ish online) but it's an awesome bit of kit IMO

Jono · 27 Aug 2015 at 21:23

Is it waterproof/sealed at all?

grudas · 27 Aug 2015 at 21:33

Jono said:
Is it waterproof/sealed at all?

yeah fully sealed/waterproof

IPX4 if we're going in to more detail so splash proof etc, literally never had a light fail with that rating

Dunks · 27 Aug 2015 at 21:43

grudas said:
exactly the same here!! super annoying, I ran out of dry shorts ffs!

Wouldn't be as bad if I prepared for it, but the forecast was dry, and it was warm and fairly sunny most times.

Luckily work has a nice drying room, warm toasty kit for the ride home, before it got wet again.

SoliD · 27 Aug 2015 at 21:45

FrenchTart said:
Missed this earlier sorry.

I can see how if you were to only ride the bike in the dry (or nearly only - which I assume you mean by Summer use?) then it might make sense. Part of me is tempted by an ultra lightweight bike that I'd only ride in perfect weather but I'm very much a "1 bike does everything" kind of person (which I know is sacrilege) so discs are pretty much a must. I imagine I'd be a lot slower without them as I simply don't trust rim brakes in the damp/wet.

Yeah would be summer usage, would be a pure road bike to have the lightweight/max aero type of stuff. Having come from MTB I thought I'd miss the Hydraulics at first, but soon get used to them and in the dry just minimise braking, have no issues with my carbon rims, and had to use them for the first time in some serious wet today and after a first second of braking they had the same power as my old metal rims.

I would say I'm one of the quicker descenders I know, and has been remarked by friends that they think I'm a bit mad, but the limiting factor is very much the tyres rather than brakes for the type of riding I do.

SoliD · 27 Aug 2015 at 21:47

grudas said:
yeah fully sealed/waterproof IPX4 if we're going in to more detail so splash proof etc, literally never had a light fail with that rating

I just want a light like that that would mount on my TT bike properly! Can't seem to find anything that won't be too non aero that actually outputs some signifcant light!

Vonhelmet · 27 Aug 2015 at 21:54

Nice flat ride this evening. I'm quite tired at the moment and it was pretty windy on the outward leg, so I took it easy and saved my energy for the return leg. Managed a fairly good average overall. There's some nice long flat roads on the route so you can just get your head down and go 20+ without much effort, which feels good

grudas · 27 Aug 2015 at 22:19

SoliD said:
I just want a light like that that would mount on my TT bike properly! Can't seem to find anything that won't be too non aero that actually outputs some signifcant light!

this will work -;

http://www.moon-sport.com/file/product/product_791.jpg

saddle mount should be even more aero lol, because it sits right under the saddle so no air will ever get to it in that sense

lordrobs · 27 Aug 2015 at 22:26

grudas said:
here's a quick video for anyone who needs a new light -;

its not cheap at £45(39ish online) but it's an awesome bit of kit IMO

I assume this is the replacement for the Moon Comet? Really like my Comet, battery life isn't great but it gives plenty of warning that it needs a top up (never had it die on me) and it is USB rechargeable so no effort to give it more juice.

wez130 · 27 Aug 2015 at 23:02

Jono said:
I use auto pause. I think once I get below 3mph. Seems to work ok. I try not to go below 3mph unless I'm stopping. Is it windy over there?

It was a bit windy on the return from Wasdale head, yes. I did have to make a stop at the YHA too on the outward run (at about 1 mile in) which cost me maybe 5 minutes.

Saytan · 27 Aug 2015 at 23:04

Left work late this evening without my front light

turns out that racing against the dying light is a good way to a few PRs

broona · 27 Aug 2015 at 23:05

Eventually going to buy a new road bike in the next few days, and my LBS have got 20% off the entire 2015 Giant range, looking to spend £1500 max but preferably less.

I was initially thinking about the 2016 Defy 1 Disc - http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bikes/model/defy.1.disc/24968/90516/

But the Defy Advanced 1, 2, and 3 caught my eye when I was browsing, took the Advanced 3 for a spin and initial impressions were good!

For £1250 all in including a bike fit they'll swap all the 105 parts over from the Advanced 2 to replace the Tiagra on the 3, or for just over £1300 I can have the 1 with Ultegra, decisions, decisions...

I love the colour of the 3, so that with 105 would be really nice, but would the Ultegra on the 1 be a big upgrade?

Links for reference :-

Advanced 3 - http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bikes/model/defy.advanced.3/19188/77292/

Advanced 2 - http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bikes/model/defy.advanced.2/19188/77291/

Advanced 1 - http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bikes/model/defy.advanced.1/19188/77290/

Or should I just save my money and stick with the Tiagra on the Advanced 3???

Jonny ///M · 27 Aug 2015 at 23:20

I hate bikes.

So many headset standards it's unreal. Scott solace I had ordered a headset for thinking it was IS41 top and IS47 bottom came in but didn't fit. Integrated headsets are usuallay IS41 36x45(1 - 1/8" cane creak) IS42 45x45(1 - 1/8" campag) IS47 1-1/4" or IS52 1-1.5".

In someones infinite wisdom they have created a bearing that is named IS47...47 being the measurement in millimeters of the diameter of the bearings outside edges. What size is this other size.....46mm! Why in the ****ing hell call it IS47 when it's clearly not 47mm.

Observe the retardedness http://www.paligap.cc/Ritchey-WCS-Bearing-For-1.1-4-Headsets_5650_p

http://www.canecreek.com/resources/products/headsets/PDFs/canecreek-shis-poster.pdf

wez130 · 27 Aug 2015 at 23:24

You can get the advanced 2 for £1119 from cyclesurgery, i paid £1099 from Rutland but they are all but sold out now. I've had mine a week and half so far and i love it. I guess it's your choice as to whether the blue is worth the extra £131 over the white (which looks smart anyway.) (A bike fit you should be able to get done for free anyway.)

This was to answer broona's post.

broona · 27 Aug 2015 at 23:30

wez130 said:
You can get the advanced 2 for £1119 from cyclesurgery, i paid £1099 from Rutland but they are all but sold out now. I've had mine a week and half so far and i love it. I guess it's your choice as to whether the blue is worth the extra £131 over the white (which looks smart anyway.) (A bike fit you should be able to get done for free anyway.)

My LBS have got the 2 in for £1119 too but only in a Medium/Large and I need a Medium, hence swapping the parts over for me, Cyclesurgery only have an XL in stock, they've only got either the 3 or the 1 in my size.

touch · 28 Aug 2015 at 00:11

SoliD said:
I would say I'm one of the quicker descenders I know, and has been remarked by friends that they think I'm a bit mad, but the limiting factor is very much the tyres rather than brakes for the type of riding I do.

The tyres being the limiting factor for braking on a road bike is one of the main reasons why i prefer disc brakes!

If you consistently get the same power from your brakes regardless of the conditions, then the only variable you need to guess is how much grip your tyre has.
If not, you need to judge how much grip your tyre has and also how much force your brake will produce when you pull the lever (and also how much that force is going to change over time as the pads clear water from the rim).

wez130 · 28 Aug 2015 at 09:14

Where do I find the auto pause settings in Strava? (android). I can't seem to find them.

In other news, I wish my lycra would hurry up and arrive, my arse is sore lol.

FishFluff · 28 Aug 2015 at 09:23

Vonhelmet said:
Bianchi bikes, much as I'd love one, carry a massive brand tax. Half decent frame, low end group set, £1,200. Erm.

I'm of a similar opinion. I *really* want my next bike to be a Bianchi as they look stunning. But I die a little bit inside when I think how much more I could get for my money if I just bought a Canyon instead...

FrenchTart · 28 Aug 2015 at 09:30

SoliD said:
Yeah would be summer usage, would be a pure road bike to have the lightweight/max aero type of stuff. Having come from MTB I thought I'd miss the Hydraulics at first, but soon get used to them and in the dry just minimise braking, have no issues with my carbon rims, and had to use them for the first time in some serious wet today and after a first second of braking they had the same power as my old metal rims.

I would say I'm one of the quicker descenders I know, and has been remarked by friends that they think I'm a bit mad, but the limiting factor is very much the tyres rather than brakes for the type of riding I do.

I'm certainly not the quickest descender, though I'm getting better. Regarding being slower I meant more in traffic/etc as knowing that I can quickly stop when a driver pulls some idiotic stunt gives me a bit of peace of mind. It's certainly saved me several times over the past year or two.

touch said:
The tyres being the limiting factor for braking on a road bike is one of the main reasons why i prefer disc brakes!

If you consistently get the same power from your brakes regardless of the conditions, then the only variable you need to guess is how much grip your tyre has.
If not, you need to judge how much grip your tyre has and also how much force your brake will produce when you pull the lever (and also how much that force is going to change over time as the pads clear water from the rim).

Very true.

On a related note, have you compared semi-metallic vs organic for brake fade on descents? My last long-distance ride had a single very windy very steep descent that ended in a blind crossroads (awesome). By the bottom of it all of our rotors were blue/black and the smell of burning was ridiculous. I had some quite severe fade which I put down to my light weight ashima rotors at the time but now I think about it it could be the organic pads I'm using on my Shimano hydraulics. The calipers themselves were also extremely hot to the touch but once again I'm not sure if that's the issue. On my previous brakes I rode with semi-metallics most of the time and didn't have any such problems but I also wasn't on full hydraulic.

grudas · 28 Aug 2015 at 09:43

lordrobs said:
I assume this is the replacement for the Moon Comet? Really like my Comet, battery life isn't great but it gives plenty of warning that it needs a top up (never had it die on me) and it is USB rechargeable so no effort to give it more juice.

looks to be, it is longer/bigger than comet(had a chinese knockoff)

plus bits -;

metal/alu(super solid)
brightness(very very bright on max setting like literally.. blinding)
all mounts you need in the package

bad bits -;

battery life on super bright modes is a bit EH, but I'd say 50% is all you'd ever need!
saddle mount is very meh, it works when it fits your saddle but if your saddle is too far forwards forget it, if you saddle has some random design, forget it... etc!