There's actually a Certini right next to the concept store but they always look closed. It's only 10 minutes from me so I'll pass by soon
I've got a set of Zipp 404 Firecrests. Not the all singing all dancing 454s but I don't think they'd look too out of place on it
Yep, keeping the wheels and my Assioma pedals. Along with my AliExpress saddle
Was tempted to get the Power Mirror printed one but it seems it only has a life of 3years. Think I'll stick to my Chinese carbon lol.
Certini are Specialized 'Concept Stores'. According to someone I know Specialized ploughed a bunch of money in to keep them afloat when they should have gone out of business. Well worth a visit if they're still run as good as other Concept Stores used to be! They've always had a good web presence for bike pricing.
404FC's will look superb on it! Still not picked up the AliExpress saddle... Need to grab some narrower bars too and fancy something more aero and fancy looking. Like the 'EC90' branded ones. They keep cropping up and I recall some videos
several years back and they're judged to be good quality... But really pondering how do I determine if the 'cheap knockoff carbon' is the same as the previous cheap knockoff carbon, knowing they copy other brandings... So they likely copy amongst themselves too?!
Interestingly, i was doing some reading last night to see how much faster i might be if i was less fat. It turns out the answer is not much at all.
Correct. In fact most of the best non-pro endurance riders tend to be heavier build guys. At your level you'll gain far more from comfort and positioning - being able to ride faster for longer, than losing 5-10kg. Even with the mountains and hills!
Yeah, i've been (forced) back out on the road and I have enjoyed the feeling of being out in the real world again. It's actually the first time I've been on the AliExpress saddle and I'm still really impressed with how it performs on the roads.
How tall are you? I'm 180cm, I can't remember the exact measurement of my inseam but I was thinking of going to a 160mm crankset but not sure if it's necessary for me. 172.5 on my Canyon
160mm cranks is excessively short. I'm 172cm tall and been riding 172.5mm without issue, only recent bike fit the guy has suggested 170mm cranks for me on the new bike, rather than down sizing to a 52cm frame (as I'd thought), keeping me on a 54cm.
I'll explain in more detail.
You can do a 2 hour ride without fueling, assuming your muscles are well fueled beforehand.
A banana whilst not enough carbs to properly maintain your energy levels for an extended effort, would get you close to 3 hours. As pointed out by someone else, you're not just fueling for your current exercise you're also thinking about the next one, so would need to eat more afterwards anyway.
My flippant comment was because people reach for gels instead of actual food when it's not really necessary. Especially if you're just doing an endurance ride.
Agreed about gels, they're really a compromise or very specific (in my opinion) - when you're riding so hard constantly where your body can't easily digest food. A gel is more quickly and easily digested, but they're not the best thing to be consuming lots of. Better to eat varied, certainly if you're out for long/all day rides. Have some choice. I used to carry a gel for 'emergencies' when I needed a 'get me home' but otherwise would not eat them. Even now, I've only had a handful of gels in since the start of covid. Preferring to eat more 'slowly' with bites of quite generic 'lunch' bars rather than anything specific. Things like flapjacks and grains work well for me. Love NAKD bars! But always good to have some kinda chewy sweets like haribo for that sugar hit
Are you comfy and efficient with your current bike frame and cranks length ? Then get same length in new and as close frame with setup as possible with new.
Use pages that compare bike sizes like
https://geometrygeeks.bike/
In 180 on 56 frame - possibly could use 58 with my body and 172.5 cranks.
Bikefit would be handy but a good one costs small fortune
Very old site, doesn't even have Tarmac SL7 nevermind SL8 on it.
Find your ideal bike using bike-on-bike geometry comparisons with diagrams, powerful search tools, and category analysis.
bikeinsights.com
Bike fit does not cost a fortune, not in comparison to the expense of bikes & components. I'd recommend one to anyone who hasn't had one, or is 'between sizes', or experiencing any kind of pain/discomfort.
My recent one cost me £195, that was for 2.5-3 hours & a follow up 'check' once I get my new bike, from one of the best fitters in the west-midlands. There are cheaper ones around. Ask any bike shop - most of them more than competent if you've not had a fit before to check you over.
I feel on my bike it's ever so slightly too long. Only way to explain it is when I am on the hoods the part of the hood which feels most comfortable to sit on feels maybe 10mm too far away. Not a deal breaker but enough to notice. When I went to the concept store the guy took one look at me and said size 54. I thought I was going to be 56 but before even mentioning the size issue with my canyon he said he thought I'd look like a 54 and slightly longer stem would be better for me.
They said they'll fit me up on their little machine they have in store when it's time to order but he seemed pretty confident that 54 would be better for me than a 56.
Yup trust someone who looks at people on bikes to be able to judge quite quickly what size you should be on! I've always ridden mediums and 54cm frames. It's always felt a bit big, reaching a little. Better flexibility helps with that - hip & hamstring stuff worked well for me, able to hunker down quite well now. At 5'7 (172cm) I figured I was borderline 52/54 and I've got short legs, so surely that means a 52... Nope, due to torso length I'm right where he expects on a 54, could go longer and lower on the front - Tarmac will do that, but the 'it's a bit big' feeling comes from riding wider bars (44cm) than I should be (40-42cm), while shortening the cranks is the 'fix' for my leg length.
Think is, a bike fit is maybe £300 at the top end, but when spending £7k on a bike it's a pretty small proportion.
The negative is if
@Junglist really wants the SL8 and then gets told he doesn't fit him at all!
It's small, but if you've not had a fit before you don't need to spend £300 on one! Around half that should be more than enough for most people - if you've not had one before. Usually a bit more if you're doing shoes/cleats too - but they're better done yourself anyway.
Ok, i'm trying to buy some bib shorts and as mentioned i'm going to try Siroko given they're Spanish and all and i like the jerseys i have of theirs.
They've a big range on their website and naturally i honed in on the cheapest, yet these suggest they're rated for "up to 3 hours" and i figure that doesn't quite work for my plans
Cycling bib shorts. Ultralightweight materials and high-quality designs. High-density chamois. Express delivery. Do not miss our best deals online.
www.siroko.com
As such i moved up to the next price point which seems to be the
BX range. Here there are 3 options. The Squandra, Resistence and Hybrid. All the same price and pretty much all with the same description bar the slightest of tweaks
Go beyond your limits with our BX Hybrid, a pair of bib shorts that meets the most demanding expectations. Our Strato+ chamois is made of Belgian Recticel material which counts on several densities to offer maximum comfort. Ideal for eight- to ten-hour routes and competitions.
www.siroko.com
The design of our BX Squadra bib shorts will offer the best performance to the most demanding cyclists. Our Strato+ chamois is made of Belgian Recticel material which counts on several densities to offer maximum comfort. Ideal for eight- to ten-hour routes and competitions.
www.siroko.com
The BX Resistance is a pair of bib shorts made for cyclists used to challenging outings. Our Strato+ chamois is made of Belgian Recticel material which counts on several densities to offer maximum comfort. Ideal for eight- to ten-hour routes and competitions.
www.siroko.com
Any insight as to what the difference might actually be? Bar slight cosmetic changes.
Can't see any other than cosmetic differences!
They look far more premium than their price. But never heard of them, nor the chamois. So usually that means they're fairly 'standard' vs the bigger names. For that price worth a punt but would really take their marketing with a large pinch of salt. I don't know why they've got so many pairs with the same pads in!? But one of my favourites (Sportful) is guilty of that too... So are Castelli. I used to buy my Sportfuls by the pads in them (Total Comfort Pro - TC Pro), they would be the same pads in £65 shorts & £165 ones!
