Road Cycling

Hope all you lot got out yesterday when the weather was good. Saw loads of us out on the roads which was nice. Probably not too many more days like this left before the winter grips us so got to make the most of them.
went out to essex yesterday..5am wake up call LOL
wife thinks im nuts haha
140km, avg speed 28.7kmh - dropped when cycled back in london back home...
was a great day out
 
Had the week off work, but a mix of bad weather and various day trips meant not as much riding as i'd have liked, some elements of laziness thrown in too!

Went out today for around 90 minutes and threw in a hill which shouldn't have been as hard work as it was. Definitely still aftermaths of covid. Weirdly my ankle is now feeling odd and weak
 
I've also had a week off, got plenty of cycling in and just realised yesterday might have been my last ride outside until Spring (unless we get a epic weekend again in October). Oh well, if yesterday was my last ride, at least I accidentally drew a penis on my strava for it. :p
 
I feel like I've wasted this week after ~8 hours on the hire e-bike last week, which is close to my best weekly duration over the last two years.

Combination of struggling to get up before 1100; a dull headache that lasted all day; wanting to do a ~30 mile loop but knowing it would take me close to 3 hours and probably leave me knackered without e-bike assistance; weather forecast over weekend being better than forecast but weary of heading out in case the rain and thunder bubbled up.

So all I've done is ~90mins on the turbo.

Today's rain stopped earlier than expected, given I cannot really go out after Tuesday for at least a week once better half returns from hopefully having her many times postponed op, I'm thinking of heading out... But given the damp roads, I wouldn't normally head out on the road bike, so much more likely to be the Marasa hybrid.

Meh.
 
Weather is picking right up here now as we have firmly exited winter. We have signed up to do the Tour De Cure discovery ride, 150kmish per day x 3 days in November in aid of raising funds for cancer research via a bloke my Mrs works with. Started the serious training now and did 80km loop with the group on Saturday. It's a very mixed group, some being cancer survivors and some actually actively undergoing treatment, who astonish me. As a result its a bit of a mixed group of abilities so we kind of break into 3 during the longer rides with frequent stops to let the others catch up. They put me at the front for most of the day and guess I'll be there for the tour proper. Hit my max 5 minute power so training is working (although could also be the new bike!)

Interesting when reading about frame replacement above. One of the lads in the group rides (or did) a Canyon Aeroad. He took it over to New Zealand 2 weeks ago in a bike case and somehow the chain stay got damage / broken in transit - likely a baggage handler issue. He contacted Canyon and they are replacing the frame under warranty which is great of them, oddly though they have requested that he cut the top tube and show them evidence of it which I thought was a bit weird. Anyway, he got the angle grinder out. This is a screen shot from the video in the group chat :D

 
I think I posted on here a bit ago about AXS vs Di2. Having had the worst experience ever trying to fit new pads to a set of AXS callipers (****ers would not stop rubbing after trying *everything*), I am firmly now in camp Di2. I've sold it all off and moved to 105 Di2. I had the brakes bled and fully functional within 30 mins. It's a much nicer and so much easier job.
 
I think I posted on here a bit ago about AXS vs Di2. Having had the worst experience ever trying to fit new pads to a set of AXS callipers (****ers would not stop rubbing after trying *everything*), I am firmly now in camp Di2. I've sold it all off and moved to 105 Di2. I had the brakes bled and fully functional within 30 mins. It's a much nicer and so much easier job.

Not had to change my pads yet. Not looking forward to the process based on this!
 
Clearly i sweat too much as those WIckflow bands didn't do too much! I got home and it was soaking, but after around an hour my sweat overpowered it!
I'm a bit confused by the order of things here...? (An hour after you got home it overpowered it? What were you doing at home?! Although, maybe I don't wanna know... :cry: ) but anyway... yes, it doesn't completely stop it, but for me it's definitely an improvement.
 
I'm a bit confused by the order of things here...? (An hour after you got home it overpowered it? What were you doing at home?! Although, maybe I don't wanna know... :cry: ) but anyway... yes, it doesn't completely stop it, but for me it's definitely an improvement.

Clearly i need to learn how to proof read posts.

It was soaking when i got home. However it was around an hour into the bike ride that it was overpowered and started dripping down my face.

What i also noticed when i took it off was that there was lots of rubbed skin on my forehead that'd been rubbed off. Maybe i sign i need to exfoliate more :p
 
Did anyone else see the footage that went viral of the cyclist grabbed around the neck and had his smashed to the floor over the weekend?

The Driver was tracked down within mere hours thanks to his social media postings and everything forwarded to the police. Today I wake up and see he's been charged with assault and is due to appear it court.

 
For some time I've been considering some lower profile wheels. A couple of days ago a friend pointed out a website that takes Cycle2Work and I'm now considering two different wheels -

Campagnolo 700c Bora Ultra WTO @ £1925

Campagnolo 700c Bora WTO @ £1399

Does anyone know wheels well and know if the extra £20pm is worthwhile for the Ultra's?
Don't know much about Campag wheels - other than the set of rim brake cheap khamsin where brombproof and the Fulcrum Racing 7's Disc I had also solid (both cheap alloy end of their ranges), until I wrecked them on a monster pot hole! But always heard good things about Boras (but probably pre-disc). I know Shamrock/Liam used to have some... But can't seem to tag him here anymore.

It'll come back I'm sure
Don't make a big thing of it. Just jump on and roll around Zwift/IV/Rouvy etc for half hour/40 mins at some point. No pressure, just stretch your legs. Chuck a podcast/tunes on and zone out. You know you'll feel much better after, don't make it feel like you have to dedicate a massive amount of effort or time for just jumping on to 'do something'. It doesn't have to be with any target or training.

Got some fancy integrated bars to put on it when it arrives too. Not sure I will want to take it out in our disgusting UK winter though!
Can't wait to see it and really hope (& glad) you managed to finally get it sorted! :D

I do know what you mean though. I have a million jobs/chores that need doing but finding the time to do them is hard. Luckily exercise is one of the things I don't negotiate on. I work from home and need to get my body moving or I get miserable. Helps massively that indoor bike time is when I get to watch the TV I wouldn't otherwise watch. The missus likes reality TV, comedy shows and murder stuff. I like very different stuff to her.
It's modern life really isn't it. We have all these 'drains' on our energy and thing 'we have to do', but without taking some time for ourselves can really start to grind you down. It doesn't have to be much, for us with cycling then that is a great escape - but we all have different hobbies too... I'm at the point when I do very little else other than play a crappy mobile game (Toy Wars: Army Men Strike), watch garbage TV with the other half and cycle. I don't have time/energy for anything else... When I do, it's spent on home/family things.

Are Hunt actually designing and making their own wheels now? I thought that previously they were just taking chinese open mould stuff and rebranding it with a UK presence for things like support etc.
Yeah believe they even have their own dedicated factory these days, or at least a couple of lines somewhere. They largely have their own designs being produced for them other places so don't really see them using 'other' or unbranded stuff. Not like they always used to (Placenti rims on Novatec hubs!)

They still build their wheels over here, generally always had ok support and QC so built themselves a good name. I used to trash them quite a bit (as being over priced and behind on tech), but really these days they're good at what they do and evolved into one of the better brands around. I still wouldn't rate them as much as a 'proper' wheel builder... But I am quite a Zipp fanboy...

Thought I’d ask some people who actually know what they’re talking about. I’ve got the basic Shimano SPD double sided pedals. I was going to replace like for like, but wondered whether I should change cleat style? I need to replace the cleats on my shoes (again, basic shimano RC1 equivalent). SPD-SL worth looking at?
You'll usually have to change shoes to switch to SPD-SL... So really use that as a driver for it (shoes generally more expensive than pedals), but really have to consider the other reasons for changing - more cleat engagement, better power transfer, better top end 'best' shoes. But plenty of con's too... Cost. Durability. 1 sided. etc

I've also had a week off, got plenty of cycling in and just realised yesterday might have been my last ride outside until Spring (unless we get a epic weekend again in October). Oh well, if yesterday was my last ride, at least I accidentally drew a penis on my strava for it. :p
You can't say that without posting up a link to it! ;)

Weather is picking right up here now as we have firmly exited winter. We have signed up to do the Tour De Cure discovery ride, 150kmish per day x 3 days in November in aid of raising funds for cancer research via a bloke my Mrs works with.
Great cause & well done, a good target and something to build towards! Goodluck!

Thankfully that guys frame looks like aluminium... Fairly safe to cut. FYI about cutting carbon - have to be very careful. The fibres can be so small you can breathe them in & they'll also enter eyes/etc.

Also, @Roady @AndyCr15

Clearly i sweat too much as those WIckflow bands didn't do too much! I got home and it was soaking, but after around an hour my sweat overpowered it!
Ah-ha, thanks for the update!

I think I posted on here a bit ago about AXS vs Di2. Having had the worst experience ever trying to fit new pads to a set of AXS callipers (****ers would not stop rubbing after trying *everything*), I am firmly now in camp Di2. I've sold it all off and moved to 105 Di2. I had the brakes bled and fully functional within 30 mins. It's a much nicer and so much easier job.
Hadn't heard much about pad fitting being a problem. Sure it's the right type/thickness of pads? Not mixing road & trail? Fairly sure I read something about some of SRAM rotors being different widths. I'm actually running Centreline rotors on my Shimano setup and really like them. Originally got them for the looks & price (couldn't justify the Shimano ones with the big black cooling fins). Got a pair of them a couple of years back for less than £50 from somewhere like Tredz. I've found them much quieter than the Shimano ones in wet/winter weather. Performance otherwise really the same.
 
You can't say that without posting up a link to it! ;)


RmY6Nf1.png


Honestly, my aim was just to loop around all the roads in that corner!
 
The frame saga continues...

I cut the ISP to the right height on the new frame and now the topper doesn't fit very well. It was a decent fit before I made the cut and now its sloppy. The cut I made was excellent and after sanding is perfectly flat. Flatter than the top of the uncut ISP. The issue also isn't with it rocking which might have suggest a wonky cut.

You would think this would be one of the few areas on the bike they would take masses of care with because its the single most likely point of failure and warranty. Going to call up the dealer today and see what they say. If they say just tighten it and ride it I will but I want it on record so that if/when it damages the ISP from movement I have proof I told them about it and it wasn't "user error".

I just want my fancy bike back!
 
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Few questions for everyone.

1 - How do i know if my rim tape is tubeless compatible? I'm fairly sure they were sold as such, but unsure if i need to do anything. I've had another puncture and it's annoyed me enough to want to make the switch. Is there a Go to Sealant?
2 - It seems like it's easy enough a process. Is it worth experimenting on a spare wheelset first?
3 - I currently have TPU tubes. In the instructions they point out that overinflating during the initial installation will ruin the tube and cause issues when later inflating fully due to the tube stretching. I've got a repair kit, but surely having finished an install and inflated to ~80psi, that's going to have taken them beyond the initial stretch point and mean re-fitting is going to cause problems. Given the price i never usually bother with repairing but was curious in this instance.
 
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I currently have TPU tubes. In the instructions they point out that overinflating during the initial installation will ruin the tube and cause issues when later inflating fully due to the tube stretching. I've got a repair kit, but surely having finished an install and inflated to ~80psi, that's going to have taken them beyond the initial stretch point and mean re-fitting is going to cause problems. Given the price i never usually bother with repairing but was curious in this instance.
Are you saying 80psi is over inflated? I would have said 120 to 130 was over? My standard is 90psi for example.
 
Are you saying 80psi is over inflated? I would have said 120 to 130 was over? My standard is 90psi for example.

No, i had thought when reading instructions in the past that you should inflate the tube to ~8PSI during installation to get a bit of shape during fitting, however i had thought there was a warning to avoid going beyond 8PSI due to stretching of the tube.

Doing a bit more reading to answer your post, it seems the risk is only about going beyond 8psi when outside of a tyre as it can cause the tube to stretch as there's nothing restricting it, and so won't fit right on the rim. I assume that once it's restrained by the tyre then there's no chance of it stretching.

EDIT - Opening post here shows the potential risk of overinflating
 
Just back from a weeks riding in Spain with 7 mates, 660km in 6 days, highlight being the Contador Challenge. 147km with about 2500m of climbing.

We were based in a town called Ontinyent which is about an hour west of Valencia. It's a real joy to cycle there. Superb roads, patient drivers, and (apart from the first two days when we had a LOT of rain) great conditions. Everything seems to be on a hill but we're already making plans to go back, can't wait.
 
Just back from a weeks riding in Spain with 7 mates, 660km in 6 days, highlight being the Contador Challenge. 147km with about 2500m of climbing.

We were based in a town called Ontinyent which is about an hour west of Valencia. It's a real joy to cycle there. Superb roads, patient drivers, and (apart from the first two days when we had a LOT of rain) great conditions. Everything seems to be on a hill but we're already making plans to go back, can't wait.

Awesome stuff. Yeah, that inland region of Ontintent/Alcoi seems to be very popular. Great roads and a lot quieter than the coastal towns.
 
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