Road Cycling

[Martynt74]

@Junglist i'd probably go out for yourself at this point. I've done this with runs in the past where i've started off too slow to stick in a group but then get a little bored and wanting to push myself, it then becomes a bit awkward to separate (especially when i was running up a 2 mile hill as you're never pulling away quickly in that scenario!). Better to just set out your stall before hand.

After all, as @fez says you might as well just do the run as a friendly group away from the event if not bothered about timings.

 

[Junglist]

Think I may just say if we get separated we'll meet up at the food station. I really enjoy cycling with him as we kind of balance out. He's a big lad so when he puts the power down on a flat it's hard work to keep up but conversely if the road points up I get to take advantage for a bit.

I just want to give the ride a good effort. It's only 72km so I'd like to try and hold a good pace and not take 3 hours+ to complete it

 

[fez]

Think I may just say if we get separated we'll meet up at the food station. I really enjoy cycling with him as we kind of balance out. He's a big lad so when he puts the power down on a flat it's hard work to keep up but conversely if the road points up I get to take advantage for a bit.

I just want to give the ride a good effort. It's only 72km so I'd like to try and hold a good pace and not take 3 hours+ to complete it

If you really want to be a dick you could draft him on all the flats and then smoke him on all the hills.

Honestly, you are likely to be doing it in 3 hours if you are doing it with a mate who isn't very fit. Its not a huge amount of climbing but its enough to punish someone who is heavy.

I just did 62km in 2:30 which had 836m of climbing and we had a guy with us who is naturally quite fit but hasn't been cycling much lately. We kept him in the wheels as much as possible and pumped him full of energy gels etc. Hes not overweight at all though, goes to the gym etc. That was a very leisurely pace for 90% of it but he was utterly ball-bagged by the end despite this. 70km with 800m of climbing will be a workout for your mate and probably pushing 3 hours I reckon.

 

[Junglist]

Yeah my friend is just a big human. Not overweight just more destined to be a rugby player rather than a GC rider! He actually has quite a few Strava KOMs in his weight group!

I know what'll happen now though. I'm going to be the weak link after all is said and done as I've jinxed myself!

Had a bit of a scare on Saturday. Took my bike off the trainer and thought "hmm that doesn't feel right" looked down and had the entire rear derealliuer in my hand! Thought the hanger had snapped but it looks like it just worked itself loose. Tightened up the screw and it was all good again.

I absolutely had a mini melt down prior to realising I could just screw it back on.

 

[Martynt74]

Looking forward to the Strava post commenting on how you've been left for dead

 

[fez]

Had a bit of a scare on Saturday. Took my bike off the trainer and thought "hmm that doesn't feel right" looked down and had the entire rear derealliuer in my hand! Thought the hanger had snapped but it looks like it just worked itself loose. Tightened up the screw and it was all good again.

Slightly concerning! Does that bike live on the trainer? If not you might have got very lucky. If you were out on the roads that could have been expensive and nasty!

My mate just bought a new bike and we met up for a catch up and ride. Within 2 minutes we noticed a clicking noise. We diagnosed it as a loose cassette lock ring. By loose, the cassette was moving a good few mm and as we know, those lock rings don't exactly have massively deep threads. Pretty poor QC from the manufacturer. Not something I would think to check on a brand new bike.

Cracked me up when he said "I might have the tool to fix it with me" as he pulled out his multi tool.

 

[fez]

Looking forward to the Strava post commenting on how you've been left for dead

All a master plan. Hes been training super hard and just gaslighting Junglist. Going to turn up a lean, mean, hill climbing machine.

 

[Martynt74]

Anyone know how much a bike shop would likely charge to fit new hydraulic hoses/gear cables?

Trying to judge whether to persevere with my hardtail/drop bar bike. I fitted the ali express bars, but the hoses/cables aren't quite long enough. Especially as i probably need to lengthen the stem aswell. I also potentially need to swap the brake levers as these are huge compared to what other people are using with these bars.

That's all adding up to a hefty cost and i'm wondering if i just sack it off. Return the bars for something a bit more normal but better than stock and wait until i can afford to stick some Sram AXS on here with proper dropped bars/shifters

Picture in spoilers as it's not technically a road bike

Spoiler: Bike pic

 

[Junglist]

Slightly concerning! Does that bike live on the trainer? If not you might have got very lucky. If you were out on the roads that could have been expensive and nasty!

Mostly on the trainer at this time of year. I did get very lucky though!

All a master plan. Hes been training super hard and just gaslighting Junglist. Going to turn up a lean, mean, hill climbing machine.

Me being a paranoid person I did keep checking his Strava and Zwift to make sure he wasn't being deceitful

 

[Junglist]

Anyone know how much a bike shop would likely charge to fit new hydraulic hoses/gear cables?

Trying to judge whether to persevere with my hardtail/drop bar bike. I fitted the ali express bars, but the hoses/cables aren't quite long enough. Especially as i probably need to lengthen the stem aswell. I also potentially need to swap the brake levers as these are huge compared to what other people are using with these bars.

That's all adding up to a hefty cost and i'm wondering if i just sack it off. Return the bars for something a bit more normal but better than stock and wait until i can afford to stick some Sram AXS on here with proper dropped bars/shifters

Picture in spoilers as it's not technically a road bike

Spoiler: Bike pic

OK, I liked the bars off of the bike but on the bike, they are a crime lol.

 

[jpaul]

Tried to do some trueing of rear, wheel nipples I tried were frozen onto spokes so spoke started to torque - tried adding plus gas to free them to no effect yet, couldn't get enough grip on the spokes with pliers, as another
approach;
then snapped head off a rear-hanger wheel adjustment bolt, corrosion in threads, applied a blow-torch and manged to extract it from other side, and reversed it until I get replacement (or some M3 bolts it seems)

 

[fez]

OK, I liked the bars off of the bike but on the bike, they are a crime lol.

My eyes!

Me being a paranoid person I did keep checking his Strava and Zwift to make sure he wasn't being deceitful

I don't want to worry you but a truly deceitful person wouldn't be posting their rides on strava/zwift. Well, they might post the occasional one on there not to arouse suspicion...

 

[Martynt74]

I don't want to worry you but a truly deceitful person wouldn't be posting their rides on strava/zwift. Well, they might post the occasional one on there not to arouse suspicion...

I'm going to be very disappointed if his mate isn't smashing 500w over the entire route

 

[Trifid]

A bit of reddit styled 'Am I The *******' question. Or replace that with petty.

Friend and I have a sportive booked for this Saturday. I was indifferent about doing this one but would be happy to do it. We spoke about it for 2 minutes and he then decided to just book us both our places then and there. Fine, no issue really. This was just after Christmas. Now, it's not a mega event that needs training for as it's only 72km with ~800m of climbing. The idea was to do this just to experience a sportive and do a longer 100km+ one next. Either way, he told me he was going to do a training plan for it and if there is nothing I dislike more than feeling like I am the weak link and liability. So I decided to get back on my bike after a lazy few weeks and start training also.

I'm now 9 weeks into training. I'd like to say I've made mega gains but I'm just back to where I was in the summer (actually TR has me a whopping 1 watt higher ) the last 2 weekends I've invited him out for a longer ride on the weekend just to get used to riding outside again and each weekend I get a 6:45am text with a reason he wont be coming. Again, I should stop putting my expectations onto other people, it's a me problem. I then find I have a hit to my motivation to do the route I had planned for us both to do and end up doing the same boring ride just to get it over and done with.

However he has now mentioned he wants to take the ride easy and isn't going to be trying to ride at a decent pace. This is after it being his idea and giving it the big'un.

Am I being unreasonable/petty/a dick if a small part of me just wants to ride it at a pace I want to do, and have put in the hours training towards, or should I be more sympathetic and ride at a similar pace? I usually say on rides that if we leave together then we also arrive together.... But I also just want to get my own back lol.

Kinds of reminds me of when I did Ride London. Mate had already booked and wanted to do it together (I planned to do it solo). I wanted to hop into a fast group but he kept on falling off the back. I ended up getting really cold and started shivering (in May!). Fortunately I had stuffed the charity jersey into my saddle bag and so stopped to put on the extra layer.

 

[UTmaniac]

Anyone know how much a bike shop would likely charge to fit new hydraulic hoses/gear cables?

Trying to judge whether to persevere with my hardtail/drop bar bike. I fitted the ali express bars, but the hoses/cables aren't quite long enough. Especially as i probably need to lengthen the stem aswell. I also potentially need to swap the brake levers as these are huge compared to what other people are using with these bars.

That's all adding up to a hefty cost and i'm wondering if i just sack it off. Return the bars for something a bit more normal but better than stock and wait until i can afford to stick some Sram AXS on here with proper dropped bars/shifters

Picture in spoilers as it's not technically a road bike

Spoiler: Bike pic

How much too short are your brake/gear on this frankenbike setup?

Is clamping the brakes and gears right next to the grips an option that would create enough slack, perhaps rotating the brake lever ~90 degrees (so brake hose exit is more in line with bars)?

 

[Roady]

anyone cycle2work schemed a bike ? my company has a £2500 limit which is a bit annoying but getting a £2500 bike for £1500ish is hard to argue with..

They used to allow this to be topped up, although not officially I think depends on the shop. As to them a lot of the time it's just a 'balance' they cost things against to the voucher supplier like an account rather than being locked to a specific Purchase of theirs.

All about those bunny hops! I have to remind myself not to do them when I am with a mate and hes following me.

Haha yeah I'm the same, I've got quite good at behaving myself... One the front I very much take the line that I expect the group to follow, only really signalling the holes which will puncture (ignore the rough/obvious bits), but quite often I'll be further back in the group covering gaps I'll signal holes to those behind and hop some myself. Or when in the group and someone hasn't signalled. Half of my club does CX so very good bike handling, the other half are almost all older leisure cyclists with far slower reactions, so always thinking of them...

The local bike place has got this odd bike, not seen a frame set like that before. I’m sure it’s been done but interesting nonetheless. For those who go on cycling holidays, this is pretty cool?

Wonder how it rides tho..

Gloria All World - Sram Rival AXS - DT Swiss Wheelset | Gloria Cycling

At Gloria Cycling we offer the Gloria All World - Sram Rival AXS - DT Swiss Wheelset. Unparalleled quality and design for any bike. Check it out now!

gloriacycling.com

Weird. Don't know how I feel about it. Seems a lot of faff/fuss with too much to go wrong and the bike not even in a hard case... Very tidy idea and looks very clean on that frame. Think you linked Gloria before?

Spotted this one over the weekend after not really hearing about them before - https://road.cc/content/review/gloria-all-road-titanium-311723 (although seeing a 502 error accessing from here, is road.cc down or firewall update issue hmmm)

Probably a silly question but does anyone take supplements alongside cycling?

I’ve always associated protein supplements with gym and bulking but wondering if I should have at least something to aid with recovery?

Lots here with better advice than mine... I take a regular supermarket off the shelf multivitamin regardless if I'm cycling or not). Post-ride is a protein shake, generally the cheapest 'branded' one I can find - MyProtein/High5/Powerbar etc.

Day after a big ride if I'm feeling pretty low/under weather I'll pop a 'Berocca' or something similar. I've always considered taking extra iron/magnesium/zinc but never have. I will also try and eat a bit more protein/carbs day before/after a big ride. I do eat fairly 'cleanly' and am semi-vegetarian (other half is, so probably half my main meals are), but I also don't really say 'no' to eating/drinking anything I want when I'm regularly riding...

My food+cycling relationship is good and opposite to many others who are cycling for fitness/losing weight. I ride so I can eat what I want! If I'm low on riding/not done that much, then I won't have that second cake/beer...!

If I ride a couple of hours on the weekend then I'll have 2 beers, is that more accurate?

 

[fez]

I ride so I can eat what I want! If I'm low on riding/not done that much, then I won't have that second cake/beer...!

If I ride a couple of hours on the weekend then I'll have 2 beers, is that more accurate?

Same here. I did have to teach myself that I can't spend 2000 calories on a ride though and actually eat 2000 calories more over the next day. That was a sad realisation.

 

[Martynt74]

How much too short are your brake/gear on this frankenbike setup?

Is clamping the brakes and gears right next to the grips an option that would create enough slack, perhaps rotating the brake lever ~90 degrees (so brake hose exit is more in line with bars)?

Yes, moving the brakes is an option. Perhaps i'll try that in the short term to see if i like the general rideability before exploring further. At the moment the cables are *just* about ok, but because of the sweep of the bars i could really do with a longer stem to push them forward a bit. The brakes are probably tighter than the gears.

Can try rotating the levers too. Although the way these are shaped has them really far away from the bar which feels a bit awkward. Need to look if i can adjust the reach to bring them closer. For example on the product website they have much less bulk

 

[Martynt74]

My food+cycling relationship is good and opposite to many others who are cycling for fitness/losing weight. I ride so I can eat what I want! If I'm low on riding/not done that much, then I won't have that second cake/beer...!

This is generally me too, but now into 3rd week of no activity and i'm conscious i've not adjusted my eating!

 

[Junglist]

Is it fairly straight forward swapping a chain set?

Quite tempted to switch from 52/36 to 50/34 because I find myself looking for an extra gear when I’m in 36/30 and I doubt I’d miss 52/11 all that much either.

the painful reality is I’m just not strong enough for my gearing lol