Road Cycling

[madindehead]

Sportful Fiandre NoRain - cheapest place to get them but only small sizes currently. Size them like Castelli, although in my experience they're marginally more forgiving. Evans' and Wiggle stock them, should be able to find them in stock on sales for no more than £70. Being Fiandre they are 'winter' style and quite thick roubaix style shorts. In the summer I man up, or wear full waterproof trousers. I pair them with the Sportful NoRain knee/leg warmers but in the warmer spring weather I prefer to get wet legs rather than cooking, keeping feet as dry as possible/comfortable is much more important (and much more difficult)!

Ace thanks! No worries about the size, as I'm a fully grown man at 5 foot 4!

 

[Kimi]

If the warranty is transferable to the new owner, I can't see why you wouldn't be able to sell close to retail with maybe a bit knocked off to make it more attractive than going to Sigma/Evans.

Thats a good point, ive ordered a Canyon but im not sure if their warranty is transferable? My guess would be they don't offer warranty on second owner, with their competitive prices a lot of people would buy bikes and flog half the bits

 

[Vonhelmet]

You're making me feel guilty now as I have a pile of about 8 or 10 awaiting repair lol... It's hard to justify the time when they're less than £2 each!

I see your £2 each and raise you £2.50 for a kit that will fix 5 punctures - just 50p each!

It gets even stupidly cheaper if you buy them in bulk, like less than 20p a go.

And yeah, I've had some of these tubes for years and years... One has 4 patches, others just 1, I guess it depends which ones get hit more often. I have about a dozen in circulation across 3 bikes. Besides, the Rules say you should patch your tubes

 

[[TW]Sponge]

Cool, I live south side and work along Kings Acre so many of my loops use those as focal points. I ride with Climb on Bikes some saturday mornings (social group shop rides ~30 miles) and will be aiming to get onto the NFTO club run at some point this year (much harder, faster & further!). Many guys ride the roads to the north, Sutton/Marden & Weobley kinda area. Where are you based and what kind of riding & distance do you want to start with and I can suggest some!

I currently live in Belmont and since I haven't got much experience in road cycling I would prefer a quieter road to start off on. I was thinking for my first outing to take the back road to Kilpeck and back, but I have no idea on the quality of the road surface. It's around 15 miles.

 

[Saytan]

What tyres are people running for commuting/wet weather?

I've got Continental Ultra Sport II 25mm coming on my new bike, reviews seem fine but not sure whether to swap them out for some a bit more grippy/hardwearing.

Schwalbe Marathon Original and Schwalbe Marathon Plus seem popular but i'm not sure if it would be a wasted purchase.

Marathons will feel very heavy and dead compared to "race" tyres

I've used a variety for commuting - conti GP 4 Seasons, Schwalbe Duranos, Bontrager racelight all weather plus. GP 4 seasons by far the nicest to ride on, but expensive and they cut up pretty easily, although without ever actually puncuturing much.

Avoid Gatorskins.

 

[PermaBanned]

Vittoria are always nice. Got some Randonneur 2 28s on atm, mainly because i intend to tour a bit on them at some point but they do well in the rain and on rougher surfaces.

 

[FrenchTart]

Marathons will feel very heavy and dead compared to "race" tyres

I've used a variety for commuting - conti GP 4 Seasons, Schwalbe Duranos, Bontrager racelight all weather plus. GP 4 seasons by far the nicest to ride on, but expensive and they cut up pretty easily, although without ever actually puncuturing much.

Avoid Gatorskins.

Highlighted the important part...

 

[Hank_Marvin]

Yeah I couldn't believe how much heavier the marathons were! Put me off.

I'll do some research on your suggestions, thanks

 

[FrenchTart]

Also check out Pro4 Endurance and Pro4 Service Course

 

[SoliD]

Wiggle order turned up today.....

Just completed 10 returns forms for it all. But going to keep set of each of the bibs (free race aero and endurance x2), Diluvio gloves, and the no rain arm and leg warmers. Just in time for Majorca, hopefully get my Rapha bibs back by the end of the week.

Nice easy week of commuting to rest my legs up before Saturday, but couldn't believe how quiet and still it was tonight on the way home compared to the last couple of weeks, had to stop and take a picture of the water! Certainly made the commute easier than it has been.

 

[FrenchTart]

http://road.cc/content/news/178953-middle-finger-councillor-who-ran-cyclists-road-fined

What an idiot.

Also, read the comments for lulz. Though I do actually agree with the comment about only having a go at the guy for his driving and not his extra curricular activities.

 

[Vonhelmet]

The comments have now been trimmed back, so I can't see quite what you're alluding to...

 

[FrenchTart]

The comments have now been trimmed back, so I can't see quite what you're alluding to...

Without going into too many details, googling the guy's email address (which is publicly available due to his position) turned up some results on an er... nappy-themed website

 

[xdcx]

Wiggle order turned up today.....

Just completed 10 returns forms for it all. But going to keep set of each of the bibs (free race aero and endurance x2), Diluvio gloves, and the no rain arm and leg warmers. Just in time for Majorca, hopefully get my Rapha bibs back by the end of the week.

Nice!
Castelli free race aero bibs are truly awesome. I wore mine 3 times last week, 2 rides of 115km-ish and 1 ride of 160km and they were superb. My best pair of bibs by far.

The Sportful No Rain arm/leg warmers I have also and they are perfect. They fit well, comfy and are great in the drizzle. They keep me plenty warm and I been out in -4 with them.... Then to top it off I wore the arm warmers in 20 degree's last week and they didn't make me roast they actually kept my arms feeling cool and the sun off them for part of the day! So you've chosen your buys well there

 

[Roady]

What tyres are people running for commuting/wet weather?

I've got Continental Ultra Sport II 25mm coming on my new bike, reviews seem fine but not sure whether to swap them out for some a bit more grippy/hardwearing.

Schwalbe Marathon Original and Schwalbe Marathon Plus seem popular but i'm not sure if it would be a wasted purchase.

Got Conti 4Seasons on at the moment and they're great. They're on par with the Mitch Pro4 E's for grip in the wet, yet better on mud/debris/leaves. I have a set of GP4000S ii's to put on and the grips/style is very similar to the 4Seas so fully expecting them to be as good! Chose them after recommendations and the Pro4E's in 25mm were like hens teeth before the V2's were in stock much. I probably won't go back to Mitchelin now unless their prices drop, there are better cheap/'budget' options now I'd happily use - Vittoria's being one.

Fitted Marathon's on my mrs' commuter and found them awkward to work with - very wide and not very flexible, wire bead not recommended on narrow wheels! It came with 25mm tyres on her Liv (Giant) Avail 5 which has Giant S-R2 rims, yet the 25mm Marathon's were much wider and a real pain to get on the rim!

Ace thanks! No worries about the size, as I'm a fully grown man at 5 foot 4!

Lol, you might be able to snag lots of bargains! Always seems to be the L & XL which sell out first in Castelli/Sportful... Goodluck!

I currently live in Belmont and since I haven't got much experience in road cycling I would prefer a quieter road to start off on. I was thinking for my first outing to take the back road to Kilpeck and back, but I have no idea on the quality of the road surface. It's around 15 miles.

Oh cool, lots of options from that side too! Add me on Strava (if you're on there).

• Backroad to the Callow (joins Grafton lane) then around to Tram Inn are all good roads so would imagine the road to Kilpeck being similar.
• Same roads but out to Pontrilas, then cross the A465 to Abbey Dore then Vowchurch back to Clehonger are all good roads and usually fairly quiet.
• The B4352 to Madley is a good road and one used regularly by cyclists, in the summer I regularly ride it on after work loops. It gives you access to lots of good climbs including Dorstone Hill, Stockley & Urishay.
• Belmont Abbey/Ruckhall Lane, lots of guys ride instead of the B4352, but I don't as you have to cut back across some back lanes to only rejoin it anyway.
• I tend to use Bridge Sollars very little, heading out to Tin Hill (Bredwardine) and then back in on the Madley road. I do tend to hill hunt though...!

 

[Roady]

Besides, the Rules say you should patch your tubes

I know, I know...! I tend to leave them until I've got 5 or more and then do them one lazy afternoon. With the daylight hours short and lack of decent weather I've really slacked off on 'unnecessary' maintenance the past few months!

Wiggle order turned up today.....

More Castelli & Sportful bags than you can shake a stick at! Hope you find some gloves mate! More info on my Galibier ones below...

Had an 'eventful' night... Got woken up at 3am by the dog grumbling at some noises outside sounding very like someone putting something into their recycling bin. Not unusual as several of my neighbours work shifts, really annoying and another reason why we're moving away from this estate... Dog wouldn't settle and barks a few times, getting more agitated (not his usual self...). Mrs gets up and hears noise from the front of our house so pokes her head through the curtains and spots a guy in our garden... She opens the window screaming abuse (I love her!) and realises there's 2 guys out there, one in our garden (picket fenced) and one the other side trying to force the lock on the neighbours bike they'd locked to our fence! Disturbed wannabe thieves make a quick getaway on their bikes and left our gate open... She's all ready to march outside to close it, (me being me) I stop her concerned they're 'lay in wait' and arm myself (say no more). Thankfully they had cleared off, so knocked up the (foreign) neighbours (who didn't seem that bothered?!) and reported it to 101. Safe to say if the bikes there when we're going to bed tonight I'll be knocking them up again. We've asked them not to lock bike to our fence before, we know bikes get nicked and as ours is the only fence around (the rest are open gardens) and took me quite a bit of time (+money) to build I don't want it getting damaged/broken!

TLDR; disturbed some bike thieves in the night!

Totally unrelated... Cold this morning... -3 with at least -4 or -5 wind chill! Temperatures reached -6/-7 overnight. Had a first for winter riding - my glove froze to my bars on my commute! Galibier Barrier II gloves did well but I'm going to message them some advice - my thumbs were totally numb, for some reason they have less insulation/padding than the fingers!? Rode most of the way with my hands (almost in fists) on the top of my shifters to try and stop the windchill...

 

[SoliD]

Nice!
Castelli free race aero bibs are truly awesome. I wore mine 3 times last week, 2 rides of 115km-ish and 1 ride of 160km and they were superb. My best pair of bibs by far.

The Sportful No Rain arm/leg warmers I have also and they are perfect. They fit well, comfy and are great in the drizzle. They keep me plenty warm and I been out in -4 with them.... Then to top it off I wore the arm warmers in 20 degree's last week and they didn't make me roast they actually kept my arms feeling cool and the sun off them for part of the day! So you've chosen your buys well there

I tried them on, seem quite nice, need time in the saddle first though. Will have to go a long way to beat my Rapha Pro Team Lightweights.

I've already got the nanoflex, but preferred the lesser branding on the sportful so went for them. No zip on the leg though, not sure about that. Will be using them next week so will have a good review.

Cold in this morning, but pair of liner gloves and lobsters kept me toasty!

 

[Roady]

I tried them on, seem quite nice, need time in the saddle first though. Will have to go a long way to beat my Rapha Pro Team Lightweights.

I've already got the nanoflex, but preferred the lesser branding on the sportful so went for them. No zip on the leg though, not sure about that. Will be using them next week so will have a good review.

Cold in this morning, but pair of liner gloves and lobsters kept me toasty!

£50 Rapha hike on the Lightweights - still both are well over £100 (Rapha closer to 200!). Have you got Assos as well? Other Rapha? How do they all compare?

Zips on warmers?!

 

[SoliD]

£50 Rapha hike on the Lightweights - still both are well over £100 (Rapha closer to 200!). Have you got Assos as well? Other Rapha? How do they all compare?

Zips on warmers?!

Yeah, I got my lightweights in the sale for £135, got the free aero for £77, so quite a bit cheaper. I've got older Assos which are fantastically comfortable but the legs are too bloody short, Saturday I was constantly having to close a gap between leg warmer and short! I sent back the Assos fi.uno ones I got from CRC due to the logos being ghastly!

I've also got the Rapha pro ones in Sky colours and they're also fantastic for all day riding. But slightly different fit to the lightweights, so not quite as good.

Zips on leg warmers yes!

 

[xdcx]

Rapha can do one.
Zips on warmers. Heavyweight yo!
Our mate had a few pair of Assos bibs on the trip, he rated them the highest and had Rapha bibs as well, said even the cheaper end Assos ones (still mental money) were superb.