Road Cycling

[fez]

Congrats dude!

a year in (6th April) and still not finding as much time to ride as I'd like. I've also been dead lazy the last few weeks as been getting broken sleep and hard to motivate myself.

Need to spend more time in this thread again to pick up the motivation

After about 5 days of no sleep I decided to do a tempo workout and it was actually OK but I think I just had some residual energy knocking about that I spent on that workout. Since then I haven't felt tip top!

I am going to try and keep it up and keep going climbing once a week if I can but it will have to be flexible. Twins are hard work. Unless you have someone there at this point you are constantly either feeding, changing, burping or cuddling them.

 

[Martynt74]

Out of interest, if we arranged a group ride in the summer, I guess somewhere reasonably central (or do we go somewhere less convenient but 'nice' like Wales or Surrey Hills), would enough people be prepared to travel to meet up to make it worthwhile?

I'm probably the same as @Junglist. Unless we form our own slow group

 

[MM-Seat]

I'm probably the same as @Junglist. Unless we form our own slow group

I’ll join the slow group!

 

[AndyCr15]

Tbh, for me (and I'd be surprised if I was that much quicker, I'm usually in the slow group myself. There will def be people much quicker than me) I don't mind regrouping every few miles. Often it's just the hills that separate people, so we just regroup at the top.

 

[MM-Seat]

Just weighed my bike at 11.2KGs…

So yes, I suppose a lighter wheel set than the fulcrum racing 7s would be dramatic.

 

[Roady]

Am I right to be slightly annoyed?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07DLKVJGX/

Ordered this from Amazon from Go Cycle Shop/Chicken Cycle Kit supplier. As I understand it they're a UK distributor (although maybe not for Shimano). Cassette has turned up in a plain plastic bag and it's zip tied together. It has the usual plastic white insert but where's all the usual Shimano packaging? Makes me a little suspect - not sure how to verify if it's original.

I wouldn't be too annoyed, providing it's in good condition and you where purchasing to save some money and it's new as advertised. Only thing that would throw me is the image of it in the proper 'Retail' box which makes you think it comes like that. But providing it's genuine I wouldn't be too worried about some packaging to save a bit of money. But equally I'd buy from somewhere I 'trusted' when its the right price in sales/deals just for the piece of mind... But still wouldn't be that bothered about packaging, more to rule out the 'knowing it's coming' and the genuine question.

Do need to get myself a 11-34 and they're silly money from usual places.

Congrats dude!

a year in (6th April) and still not finding as much time to ride as I'd like. I've also been dead lazy the last few weeks as been getting broken sleep and hard to motivate myself.

Need to spend more time in this thread again to pick up the motivation

Keep it up, it does get easier! Got my 5.5 year old and those first couple of years fitting in what I could around him was hard, but oh so rewarding. It would've been so much easier to stop - but I'm really glad I didn't. I guess all about maintaining something - rather than building from nearly nothing again. I've always said 'without Zwift I'd be nowhere', just that convenience of being 'next door in the garage for an hour' at any point it fitted in was massive. It meant I could fit it in anytime rather than committing to things.

Out of interest, if we arranged a group ride in the summer, I guess somewhere reasonably central (or do we go somewhere less convenient but 'nice' like Wales or Surrey Hills), would enough people be prepared to travel to meet up to make it worthwhile?

I would be - depending on location again. My biggest issue is being 60+mins away from the M5 (south of Birmingham) before I can get to anything central so takes me a while to get anywhere. South is probably easier for me than central.

Don't care on group/speed/etc. I'd always ride with a 'slow' group anyway - more fun to chat and be sociable, then a few climb/hill/sprint efforts for fun if others want! I'd almost prefer something hilly and 'ticking off' something memorable to be honest (don't get much time off work or travel to ride other places). Can ride good hills here and enough quiet flat roads - without travelling to find the same. But I know I am spoilt for choice!

Just weighed my bike at 11.2KGs…

So yes, I suppose a lighter wheel set than the fulcrum racing 7s would be dramatic.

Nothing wrong with 11kg bikes! Takes me fitting my Zipp 303 S and taking the full metal guards off to get it below 10kg...

 

[MM-Seat]

Nothing wrong with 11kg bikes! Takes me fitting my Zipp 303 S and taking the full metal guards off to get it below 10kg...

Pretty good for an aluminium gravel bike compared to your carbon one?

Or is that about the right difference between the two frame materials?

 

[AndyCr15]

I'd almost prefer something hilly and 'ticking off' something memorable to be honest

Yeah, I'd be up for this. As you may remember, I'm trying to tick 10 more UK Top 100 Climbs this year. Maybe we all meet at Cheddar Gorge or something

 

[Lethal`]

I wouldn't be too annoyed, providing it's in good condition and you where purchasing to save some money and it's new as advertised. Only thing that would throw me is the image of it in the proper 'Retail' box which makes you think it comes like that. But providing it's genuine I wouldn't be too worried about some packaging to save a bit of money. But equally I'd buy from somewhere I 'trusted' when its the right price in sales/deals just for the piece of mind... But still wouldn't be that bothered about packaging, more to rule out the 'knowing it's coming' and the genuine question.

If it's genuine I'm fine but it does make me wonder when it's cable tied together - surely Shimano don't provide them like that

 

[Junglist]

Yeah, I'd be up for this. As you may remember, I'm trying to tick 10 more UK Top 100 Climbs this year. Maybe we all meet at Cheddar Gorge or something

That's not too far from me actually. I keep threatening to ride up it

 

[Lethal`]

Cheddar Gorge is good fun to ride up. Gave it a push with a mate on my wheel when I went some years back. Didn't get a chance to ride down it though!

 

[Junglist]

Last rode down it on a fixed gear track bike (with front brake) that was an experience

 

[hellarda]

Been reading a few pages back, so I might be a bit late.

I bought a Ribble Endurance SL Disc 105 in Teal in September '21. Unfortunately the buying process was terrible, and I had very little communication from them and didn't receive the bike until September (despite being assured it would be 'next week' multiple times). Now, I was assured after receiving the bike that they were working on their CS and were very apologetic I'd had a bad experience. I also received a voucher for their store and a free handlebar upgrade. But the near 5 month delay was frustrating as I would have ordered another bike had I known.

The bike itself has been pretty damn good, it came with a few cosmetic issues (some chipped painted here and there) but overall was impressed with the quality - and have done over 10,000 miles on it. However, I took it into Surrey Hills Cycle works a few weeks back for a summer spruce up, and they found this crack on the frame:





SHC have been great, they said it looked like a warranty issue, so raised it with Ribble with a copy of my invoice, stripped the bike and arranged for the frame to be sent back to Ribble. Kudos to Ribble, they received the frame last Wednesday and shipped a replacement frame out on Friday, being delivered back to SHC tomorrow for them to rebuild.

I've also taken the opportunity to upgrade to 105 Di2, so should hopefully feel like a brand new bike!

So yes, have loved the bike, initial CS was crap, but they seem to have improved... and not had an issues with the paint except for the aforementioned chips on delivery (which were minor!)

 

[Lethal`]

That's pretty good service! Is it confirmed to be a problematic crack? It looks mostly to be paint flaking off. Obviously, not what one wants but I wondered about the severity of the issue. It reminds me I'd heard somewhere else about Ribble custom paint not being worth the extra.

 

[hellarda]

I assume so as they've sent SHC a new frameset which has arrived today! Didn't have anything from Ribble apart from 'we've confirmed your frame swap'

My partner has a Ribble Ultra SLR with custom paint - and I have to say the paint on that hasn't been great. One of the main issues was the painted seat post - the carbon grip paste and clamp wouldn't grip even when over torqued, saddle kept slipping. Its only now that the clamp has rubbed half the paint off that it actually grips

 

[MM-Seat]

Eurgh!!!

0.3 miles into ride and chain jams. Had to undo the pinch bolt on FD to get the chain unstuck.

Hate band on derailleurs. Don’t think I’d buy another bike without a braze on. Cause quite a bit of paint damage by being clamped on plus jamming the chain.

Got home and luckily had a spare cable. Made sure to set the FD as close as possible to the big chain ring.

We live and learn I suppose.

 

[Musty Pie]

Out of interest, if we arranged a group ride in the summer, I guess somewhere reasonably central (or do we go somewhere less convenient but 'nice' like Wales or Surrey Hills), would enough people be prepared to travel to meet up to make it worthwhile?

Yeah depends on location and date really, im not the fastest by any means, but i enjoy sociable rides.

"Hemel Hillbuster" is on in a few weeks over my way, deciding if I turn up on the day and give it a crack. 50k or the 100k im feeling, but depends on what else i have on personally around that time.

 

[SoliD]

Anyone else sick of this weather? Barely ridden the summer bike so far. It's may at the weekend! And I'm still wearing winter gear most rides. Go back to that first year of covid and it was absolutely glorious in March April and May.

 

[UTmaniac]

Anyone else sick of this weather? Barely ridden the summer bike so far. It's may at the weekend! And I'm still wearing winter gear most rides. Go back to that first year of covid and it was absolutely glorious in March April and May.

Yeah,pretty rubbish weather in our South Downs lanes so far this "spring." Supposedly dry and pleasant from tomorrow afternoon until beyond the first of three Bank Hols, might be time to find motivation to finally put my VEL 50 RL bargain wheelset together from last November !

 

[Trifid]

Anyone else sick of this weather? Barely ridden the summer bike so far. It's may at the weekend! And I'm still wearing winter gear most rides. Go back to that first year of covid and it was absolutely glorious in March April and May.

Yep. Barely touched the road bike this year. I've done more miles on my commuter bike and I work from home!