Road Cycling

Bear · 27 Feb 2016 at 15:59

touch said:
Wow! Thats more impressive than your times up the climbs!

That descent scares me with the tiny wee walls which would do nothing to stop you falling over the big drops if you hit them.
My time for that segment includes several photo stops but even if I went flat-out I doubt i'd get anywhere near your time!

Faster than Alex Dowsett, what a claim to fame :cool:

Saytan · 27 Feb 2016 at 16:11

Shamrock said:
I've noticed a slight problem, I can't use my granny gear as the rear mech cage touches the disc. How do I fix that?

limit screw probably just needs a tickle.

Vonhelmet · 27 Feb 2016 at 16:24

40 miles this morning, followed by a moan from her about how she didn't expect me to be out so long... Never mind that anytime I go out with my neighbour and his lot it's always an all morning affair. Hey ho. Quite hilly, which was a bit tough as I've not done much climbing lately, but it was ok. New cafe which I've not been to before, good lemon cake, score.

We're a bit of a motley crew, and one of the latest additions is a guy who got thrown out of a local cycling club because they blamed him for a couple of crashes due to some erratic cycling, and he nearly got in a fight with someone so out he went. He's got bad guts or something so twice now I've been out with him and twice he's had to shoot off up a hill early on the ride so he can go and have a poo in a field. I don't even want to think about the logistics of that.

Vonhelmet · 27 Feb 2016 at 16:24

Bear said:
Faster than Alex Dowsett, what a claim to fame

I think I'm faster than Kristian House on some random segment near me.

Shamrock · 27 Feb 2016 at 16:44

Starting from scratch with cable tension then limit screws seems to have sorted it!

You might say I shouldn't need my granny gear on a TT bike but I certainly will in Zurich.

oli collett · 27 Feb 2016 at 16:59

While I've been having no luck with punctures, on the plus side my Canyon Ultimate CF SLX should be arriving on Tuesday

UTmaniac · 27 Feb 2016 at 17:11

oli collett said:
While I've been having no luck with punctures, on the plus side my Canyon Ultimate CF SLX should be arriving on Tuesday

Is that a Tuesday in 2017?

SoliD · 27 Feb 2016 at 17:16

touch said:
Wow! Thats more impressive than your times up the climbs!

That descent scares me with the tiny wee walls which would do nothing to stop you falling over the big drops if you hit them.
My time for that segment includes several photo stops but even if I went flat-out I doubt i'd get anywhere near your time!

Could have gone faster easily. Wind was a little ropey and started to worry about my brake blocks, and the accident. Reckon I could take a good 30s to a minute easily out of that.

Bear said:
Faster than Alex Dowsett, what a claim to fame

lordrobs · 27 Feb 2016 at 18:16

I'll give them a bit of time to bed in but I don't think the Swisstops are going to fix my braking woes, or should that be woeful braking? Anyway, at the moment I've got 57mm long drop callipers. If I were to replace them would I need to replace them with with the same type or can I go for less drop and sacrifice a bit of clearance?

LOL at poo man Von! Sounds like a bit of a liability!

oli collett · 27 Feb 2016 at 18:18

UTmaniac said:
Is that a Tuesday in 2017?

Nope, already with UPS! I actually spoke to them earlier in the week to check if all was still OK and they suggested mid March (which was expected), got the email this morning with UPS tracking and it's ahead of schedule!

Vonhelmet · 27 Feb 2016 at 18:38

lordrobs said:
I'll give them a bit of time to bed in but I don't think the Swisstops are going to fix my braking woes, or should that be woeful braking? Anyway, at the moment I've got 57mm long drop callipers. If I were to replace them would I need to replace them with with the same type or can I go for less drop and sacrifice a bit of clearance?

I have Shimano 57mm Tiagra grade calipers on one bike and they aren't great, quite flexy. You can try standard 49mm calipers, but chances are if it's got 57s on then it needs 57s, and 49s may simply just not reach down to the rim. You may benefit from switching to some better calipers i.e. if you have Tektros buy Shimano ones, and if you have Tiagra grade Shimano ones get the Ultegra grade ones that they make. The model number is R650. Ribble have them for £60 for the pair, which is cheaper than anywhere else.

lordrobs said:
LOL at poo man Von! Sounds like a bit of a liability!

I mean, does he have bog roll in his back pocket? Does he leave it there, to confuse the farmers? It's hard not to wonder, but believe me, I'm really trying.

Saytan · 27 Feb 2016 at 19:07

lordrobs said:
I'll give them a bit of time to bed in but I don't think the Swisstops are going to fix my braking woes, or should that be woeful braking? Anyway, at the moment I've got 57mm long drop callipers. If I were to replace them would I need to replace them with with the same type or can I go for less drop and sacrifice a bit of clearance?

there's a VERY small window where you can use either drop (the shortest are 39-49mm and the "medium" are 47-57mm), so you're probably stuck with the drop you have

Shimano R451 or R650 are ace 57mm calipers

Saytan · 27 Feb 2016 at 19:11

Vonhelmet said:
and if you have Tiagra grade Shimano ones get the Ultegra grade ones that they make.

They're the same casting, just the finish, hardware and pads are better on Ultegras

Vonhelmet · 27 Feb 2016 at 19:14

Saytan said:
They're the same casting, just the finish, hardware and pads are better on Ultegras

Are they that much the same? I thought the ultegra ones were a bit stiffer... If not then you may as well save some cash and get the Tiagra level ones.

Saytan · 27 Feb 2016 at 19:15

Vonhelmet said:
Are they that much the same? I thought the ultegra ones were a bit stiffer... If not then you may as well save some cash and get the Tiagra level ones.

Yup. I suspect the perceived extra stiffness comes from the alloy backed pads, which always feel much nicer in use.

Vonhelmet · 27 Feb 2016 at 19:17

That's true. My 451s came with plain old blocks which I promptly replaced with cartridge pads.

PermaBanned · 27 Feb 2016 at 20:17

Picked up a an old folder yesterday, for a trip away next month I needed something I can easily take on the train. Been stripping it down today. Going to need a lot of vinegar to clear off all this rust

But it all seems in pretty good nick really, might even be able to use the same tyres and brake pads.

Now I have the fun of figuring out how to strip down and clean cottered cranks and a Sturmey Archer 3 speed hub

Jonny ///M · 27 Feb 2016 at 20:27

The strava kings bike has died! Too much power.

nUG-ZI4423mb7qf-LkYxNoc2P_uNR-OudmxzcrmSyvc-1228x2048.jpg

FrenchTart · 27 Feb 2016 at 20:49

My BB area looks the same after any TT I do...

/cough

lordrobs · 27 Feb 2016 at 20:50

Vonhelmet said:
I have Shimano 57mm Tiagra grade calipers on one bike and they aren't great, quite flexy. You can try standard 49mm calipers, but chances are if it's got 57s on then it needs 57s, and 49s may simply just not reach down to the rim. You may benefit from switching to some better calipers i.e. if you have Tektros buy Shimano ones, and if you have Tiagra grade Shimano ones get the Ultegra grade ones that they make. The model number is R650. Ribble have them for £60 for the pair, which is cheaper than anywhere else.

I mean, does he have bog roll in his back pocket? Does he leave it there, to confuse the farmers? It's hard not to wonder, but believe me, I'm really trying.

Saytan said:
there's a VERY small window where you can use either drop (the shortest are 39-49mm and the "medium" are 47-57mm), so you're probably stuck with the drop you have

Shimano R451 or R650 are ace 57mm calipers

Cheers gents, I thought that would be the case. They are indeed Tektro with cartridge pads. The initial retardation is what I'd expect but from that point on the effort I'm putting onto the levers doesn't seem to reflect on how quickly I'm (not) slowing down!

I'll look into the Shimano offerings.