Road Cycling

Martynt74 · 30 Nov 2023 at 13:10

Think i've found my new "local" route, around 16 miles and must've only seen around 5 cars. Decent mix of easy flat sections and a few undulating (for me!) bits. Got back at 58 mins which means it's great for my dinner hour and gives me something to try and beat each time.

Downside is the last 500m is on loose grit stone so barely any grip. I imagine when i'm close to a PB it's going to be scary trying to push the pace on that. Can feel the tyres just sliding around constantly!

Have also reached out to a few people on a local facebook group to see if there are any group rides. Seems there's one every Saturday for around 60km, so going to get out this weekend to see how i actually cope doing anything over an hour!

fez · 30 Nov 2023 at 14:11

Martynt74 said:
Have also reached out to a few people on a local facebook group to see if there are any group rides. Seems there's one every Saturday for around 60km, so going to get out this weekend to see how i actually cope doing anything over an hour!

Theres a club around me that post all their rides on a Sunday so you can download them. I just use that for most of my routes these days. Most of them seem to be about 55-70km which is about the limit of the amount of time I can steal these days. If you can find similar you should be able to "borrow" a load of routes.

Martynt74 · 30 Nov 2023 at 14:35

fez said:
Theres a club around me that post all their rides on a Sunday so you can download them. I just use that for most of my routes these days. Most of them seem to be about 55-70km which is about the limit of the amount of time I can steal these days. If you can find similar you should be able to "borrow" a load of routes.

Yeah, it's a good shout. I fancy trying to be a little more social with it though. The main issue here is that due to the mountains, it's fairly limited on route choice, certainly without getting crazy with distances.

fez · 30 Nov 2023 at 14:38

Whats generally the best time of year to find good deals on framesets? I am looking to get a smaller frame than i have currently but even the previous models of things like the SL7 are going for silly money.

I like the look of the new Giant Defy but giant don't seem to sell frame only very much and not at all in the UK. In the US its the SL only. :rolleyes:

Martynt74 · 30 Nov 2023 at 14:44

fez said:
Whats generally the best time of year to find good deals on framesets? I am looking to get a smaller frame than i have currently but even the previous models of things like the SL7 are going for silly money.

I like the look of the new Giant Defy but giant don't seem to sell frame only very much and not at all in the UK. In the US its the SL only.

When i was looking it seemed frames were pretty hard to get hold of and very few deals were around. Used seemed the best option if you wanted a deal, but otherwise unless you get lucky you're pretty much at full RRP unless you really don't care and just go with whatever is cheap.

At the risk of sounding like a pusher of Chinese stuff, have you looked at the Elves frames? I was close before i opted for my Ican.

fez · 30 Nov 2023 at 14:51

Martynt74 said:
When i was looking it seemed frames were pretty hard to get hold of and very few deals were around. Used seemed the best option if you wanted a deal, but otherwise unless you get lucky you're pretty much at full RRP unless you really don't care and just go with whatever is cheap.

At the risk of sounding like a pusher of Chinese stuff, have you looked at the Elves frames? I was close before i opted for my Ican.

Honestly I haven't looked at chinese stuff. I'm not sure i'm ready to drop serious cash on something like a frame and their QC seems super patchy still, even on the better brands.

Martynt74 · 30 Nov 2023 at 14:55

fez said:
Honestly I haven't looked at chinese stuff. I'm not sure i'm ready to drop serious cash on something like a frame and their QC seems super patchy still, even on the better brands.

That’s probably fair. They do have a UK representative now though and a decent warranty.

Junglist · 1 Dec 2023 at 09:18

I Like the Elves Falath. If I had the skills, time and space to build one I would.

TraceVelo is a good youtube channel to have a look at for Chinese stuff. Some really decent bits, surprisingly.

Martynt74 · 1 Dec 2023 at 09:22

Junglist said:
I Like the Elves Falath. If I had the skills, time and space to build one I would.

TraceVelo is a good youtube channel to have a look at for Chinese stuff. Some really decent bits, surprisingly.

Yeah, they seem to be pumping a lot of cash in, the UK guy said he was working towards the cycle to work schemes too which further pushes it into the mainstream.

I was close to the Falath, but the limit of 28mm tyres just felt too restrictive for me, although i did end up with 28mm anyway! Although i think my next set will be 32/34mm. Especially as some of the tracks to get from properties to the main road are pretty scary on proper road tyres and i constantly worry about a puncture.

I saw a guy here on one and the paint was amazing.

As for skills. If i can build one from scratch, anyone could!

Mr.Cookie · 1 Dec 2023 at 18:17

My bother built an elves falath and he's very happy with it.

Junglist · 5 Dec 2023 at 09:36

Had a really rubbish week. My grandmother passed away in my hands last week. Naturally, I took it really badly and picked up a few of my old bad habits but on Monday I just decided to get on the bike to clear my mind. It was only 2 rides on Zwift but I forget how just concentrating on pedalling is like a free therapy session. Felt the best I've felt all week just by doing 2 short rides

Super easy to get lost in all the noise of watts, weight and trying to be as fast as possible that it's easy to forget just the quiet calm that comes with riding.

fez · 5 Dec 2023 at 09:39

Junglist said:
Had a really rubbish week. My grandmother passed away in my hands last week. Naturally, I took it really badly and picked up a few of my old bad habits but on Monday I just decided to get on the bike to clear my mind. It was only 2 rides on Zwift but I forget how just concentrating on pedalling is like a free therapy session. Felt the best I've felt all week just by doing 2 short rides

Super easy to get lost in all the noise of watts, weight and trying to be as fast as possible that it's easy to forget just the quiet calm that comes with riding.

Sorry to hear that mate. Hope you and your family are all OK.

Cycling is a great escape though as you can use it to either think or not think.

Junglist · 5 Dec 2023 at 09:50

fez said:
Sorry to hear that mate. Hope you and your family are all OK.

Cycling is a great escape though as you can use it to either think or not think.

Thanks man. Part of life and even though we knew it was coming didn't make it hurt any less. I'm in pieces but it's important for me to remember that my grandmother was not one for sentiments and she's likely very annoyed that I'm taking it like a little bitch and she'd tell me to grow a pair and get on with it :cry:

Honestly I felt so much better. Not physically, I felt unfit as anything! But mentally it was the first time all week I got to enjoy relative silence on my own and I got to just think about riding.

On positive notes. I'm really liking this new saddle. For £50 it seems like a bargain. 90 minutes on the trainer isn't as bad. Still not exactly comfortable but I'd say it's more comfortable than my previous saddle. Early days though

fez · 5 Dec 2023 at 10:24

Junglist said:
Thanks man. Part of life and even though we knew it was coming didn't make it hurt any less. I'm in pieces but it's important for me to remember that my grandmother was not one for sentiments and she's likely very annoyed that I'm taking it like a little bitch and she'd tell me to grow a pair and get on with it

Honestly I felt so much better. Not physically, I felt unfit as anything! But mentally it was the first time all week I got to enjoy relative silence on my own and I got to just think about riding.

On positive notes. I'm really liking this new saddle. For £50 it seems like a bargain. 90 minutes on the trainer isn't as bad. Still not exactly comfortable but I'd say it's more comfortable than my previous saddle. Early days though

Yeah, it doesn't always make it easier just because its expected. You can never know how you will react when something happens either. Just take it how you have to and don't be hard on yourself in any way.

re. the saddle, honestly I find that being on a trainer is just uncomfortable no matter what after a long time. When I have more room for a proper setup I will get a rocker plate because I have no issue on a 3 hour road ride but a 90 minute zwift ride is uncomfortable for me.

Made the mistake of wearing damp bib shorts a week back on the trainer. Never again.

Martynt74 · 5 Dec 2023 at 13:21

Junglist said:
Had a really rubbish week. My grandmother passed away in my hands last week. Naturally, I took it really badly and picked up a few of my old bad habits but on Monday I just decided to get on the bike to clear my mind. It was only 2 rides on Zwift but I forget how just concentrating on pedalling is like a free therapy session. Felt the best I've felt all week just by doing 2 short rides

Super easy to get lost in all the noise of watts, weight and trying to be as fast as possible that it's easy to forget just the quiet calm that comes with riding.

Sorry to hear that bud. Glad it's got you out though

bastic · 5 Dec 2023 at 21:01

Sorry to hear Junglist...

Ii found out that my mum passed away yesterday...we had tickets booked for next week to see her and dad before xmas...now trip will have completely different meaning...
felt like hit by a truck...
On a whim decided to take the bike out and cycle to rapha for coffee..even that the weather was ****.

that helped a lot!! and was first outing for Tilly
followed by gym
shame weather is crap for next days and weekend will be without bike again...

next few days will be tough and it will all hit me again when i travel home next week... all family..funeral...

Martynt74 · 5 Dec 2023 at 21:08

Sorry to hear that too @bastic. That must be awful to get the call if you weren’t nessecerily expecting it.

fez · 5 Dec 2023 at 22:14

Sorry to hear about your mum bastic. Awful time of year for it too

Junglist · 6 Dec 2023 at 09:37

bastic said:
Sorry to hear Junglist...

Ii found out that my mum passed away yesterday...we had tickets booked for next week to see her and dad before xmas...now trip will have completely different meaning...
felt like hit by a truck...
On a whim decided to take the bike out and cycle to rapha for coffee..even that the weather was ****.

that helped a lot!! and was first outing for Tilly
followed by gym
shame weather is crap for next days and weekend will be without bike again...

next few days will be tough and it will all hit me again when i travel home next week... all family..funeral...

Oh my brother that is horrible news. I'm just realising it's important to keep the mind busy because it's to easy to become overwhelmed with it all. We all grieve in our own way I've realised I like to be alone with my thoughts rather than surrounded by family which sounds weird but it works for me.

I think I can say on behalf of us all here that even though we are all strangers on a computer forum in a cycling sub-forum, we are all here for each other. None of us are going to be able to ease the pain we are going through but if it ever gets too much and you need to vent to some strangers. We are all here

One More Solo · 7 Dec 2023 at 06:28

So sorry to hear your news @bastic and @Junglist. I can only echo the above if you need to get things out there - the best part of this thread is someone always responds.