Road Cycling
- Thread starter FrenchTart
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Soldato
- Joined
- 11 Sep 2009
- Posts
- 14,064
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- France, Alsace
Just as I complained asking where everything was... they arrive!
Let me know what you think of the gloves. I don't need any (2 pairs of long fingered, 2 pairs of windproof long fingered, 1 pair of waterproof winter, 1 pair of thick winter), just nice to compare
Awesome! I ordered something last wednesday (free delivery) and then something on thursday (2-3 day paid for delivery, was hoping for friday/sat). Both arrived yesterday.
Lulquote.
you don't pedal much but it's pretty physical....
Anyone with a Vortex or KICKR Snap here? Do they auto-tension on the rear wheel and feature a calibration/rolldown kinda zero-test afterwards? I'm basically after an on-wheel turbo I can calibrate/zero-offset (relating to turbo tyre pressure) for virtual/zpower consistency.
What other trainers should I be looking at in the £250-£450 ballpark? I'm after full smart resistance for control on Zwift/TR. Ideally ANT+ FE-C & BTLE compatible (future-proof), able to handle minimum of 800W (guessing 600W sprints?) and ideally over 5% elevation simulation (anything close to 10% or over would be a big plus). Vortex/Neo (or whatever Tacx one they're currently shifting) always seems to fit the bill, just they're so damn ugly in white and look flimsy...
Have a Vortex here, £260 before the prices shot up, but use my P1's to control it as the VP estimation can vary a bit based on spin-down calibration.
Slope mode is quite good and fairly realistic. For things like sprints in ERG mode it (and most other trainers) aren't going to be snappy enough to adjust the brake for such short intervals. In this instance for these style of workouts or intervals a quick flick to Standard Resistance mode on TrainerRoad means you can adjust resistance and use the gears like on a traditional turbo to make a high enough power for the duration of the interval.
It's definitely not flimsy. Can't say I'm a fan of the colours as they're a bit airy-fairy but I'm sat on it to derive torture not hanging it on a wall for viewing pleasure
Personally I can't see the need for a Direct-Drive trainer unless you have specific noise requirements. A mid-range smart turbo and pedal based PM will set you back a similar figure there about and give you power out on the road on any bike.
Can remove & refit my pedals between bikes in less than a minute.
Vortex it is then. Also pi**ed off enough with my 810 at the moment to order a ELEMNT... P1's will definitely be next year though.
And you're right, KICKR eventually but PWM is a better overall choice of investment by far.
Was it topcashback or quidco which works best on Wiggle?
And you're right, KICKR eventually but PWM is a better overall choice of investment by far.
Was it topcashback or quidco which works best on Wiggle?
Soldato
- Joined
- 11 Sep 2009
- Posts
- 14,064
- Location
- France, Alsace
You mean you don't have the awesome tdf yellow one?
That's the real hero
(only because I have it
)Ok. I WANT! Although not quite sure why the yellow appeals more than the blue... Also want her laptop stand. Maybe the house too. Oh and herYou mean you don't have the awesome tdf yellow one?
That's the real hero
(only because I have it
Now, if I could get one of those I'd really not be dragging my heels... BD had them at a crazy price! They're really not in stock anywhere now though
Did Jon's Short Mix again last night after wasting 20 minutes trying to get my old InRide to calibrate with no joy. Still no readings from it, even though it's detected by kinetic.fit/Zwift as a power meter source. Fingers crossed the replacement arrives retail boxed and I'll just flog it as new.
Turbo tighter on the rear wheel but still too much slippage to hit 600W within 10s, first seated, second stood, third stood after tightening slightly. Rest of the power levels felt fine, I'm enjoying the 300W intervals so may hunt down something with several sets of them (although this may mean my FTP still being set as 230 is a little conservative!). Need to work on some sweet spot as I got a little choppy in the middle of the 180W 10 minute section. Think a narrower cassette may help me as unable to find good gearing to maintain my usual 90-95 rpm & usually find myself at ~80rpm just to hit power targets which I'm not used to (and probably something more to train!).
Weirdly I'm enjoying being back on the turbo, more than last winter anyway. Even with the tweaking and InRide problems!
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Soldato
- Joined
- 11 Sep 2009
- Posts
- 14,064
- Location
- France, Alsace
That's what I got mine for! So when the vortex's shot up massively in price I was quite pleased I got it when I did!
WFH this morning, taking the wife to the hospital in a minute, then I'll ride in around lunch time. It's foggy as anything out this morning, I'll need to get my lights on for tonight I think. Gives me a chance to try out my gloves and overshoes though
WFH this morning, taking the wife to the hospital in a minute, then I'll ride in around lunch time. It's foggy as anything out this morning, I'll need to get my lights on for tonight I think. Gives me a chance to try out my gloves and overshoes though
Great products but quite high prices considering... Then again most indoor training related accessories seem to have a huge price hike, including the training mats.
Lucky git! I do recall seeing the Vortex smarts (Blue ones) for £299 over here but doubtful we'll see that again as they're seen as the go-to trainer for Zwift before the KICKR... Also they've been out a few years (with lots of 'spin-off models'/rehashes) so I imagine Tacx are going to 'retire' them soon & replace with a newer unit. Might mean some good prices on them but doubt that'll be in 2016.
To be honest I'm almost set on buying one next pay day (Monday) but I'm half waiting/wanting DCR's 2016/17 guide incase there's another trainer recommended or mentioned that I've somehow missed...
EDIT: Kask Infinity Black/Red came from acycles. Great service & it fits (& price has gone up since I ordered)!
Basically 2 LBS who stock Kask couldn't get an Infinity in those colours in Large from Kask UK, so I took a punt from a google search!
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Mat made a difference to me previously when on patio (over sand base) & tiled (over concrete). Once you eliminate vibrations/echo through any flooring most of the noise comes from flywheel hum and chainline, which you can do very little about. I've found not that much noise comes from tyre contact, which is why people with wheel-off trainers still have noise.
If you're training over an empty space (upstairs or over floorboards) the rumble from floor vibration will be the main factor for those below, don't think there's much you can do about it except increase pad thickness to act as dampening.
To be honest I expect a well lubed and new/smooth chain (with accurate indexing) will be the biggest change to noise for most!
If you're training over an empty space (upstairs or over floorboards) the rumble from floor vibration will be the main factor for those below, don't think there's much you can do about it except increase pad thickness to act as dampening.
To be honest I expect a well lubed and new/smooth chain (with accurate indexing) will be the biggest change to noise for most!
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Covered the garage in 6x4ft 18mm matting when I moved in as I used to have oly weights & cage etc in there.
I can just sweat, snot, bleed and cry all over the place and not give AF
Soldato
- Joined
- 11 Sep 2009
- Posts
- 14,064
- Location
- France, Alsace
^^ same. I have the interlocking foam/ gym style flooring. Acts as a trainer mat as well as me dripping all over it
I don't need the fancy furniture tbh, I'm pretty happy with my setup. 2 bottle holders on the bike, phone mount on the garmin mount, sweat cover on bike, towel over the front, 40" screen on the wall, bluetooth speaker for tunes connected to macbook, 2 fans (I'm going to get a new better one though).
Just need a sofa down there and I'd not leave.
I don't need the fancy furniture tbh, I'm pretty happy with my setup. 2 bottle holders on the bike, phone mount on the garmin mount, sweat cover on bike, towel over the front, 40" screen on the wall, bluetooth speaker for tunes connected to macbook, 2 fans (I'm going to get a new better one though).
Just need a sofa down there and I'd not leave.
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What exactly IS a well-lubed chain?
When I got my bike it was virtually silent, with just the waxy coating on it, but now it's been out in the rain and cleaned a couple of times, relubed with dry lube - put it on the inner rollers and whatnot, wiped off excess... but it's noisy/ier. What lube's anyone using?
When I got my bike it was virtually silent, with just the waxy coating on it, but now it's been out in the rain and cleaned a couple of times, relubed with dry lube - put it on the inner rollers and whatnot, wiped off excess... but it's noisy/ier. What lube's anyone using?
http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest-news/check-mirrors-opening-car-door-video-289204
SURPRISE MOFO!!
I have to say - I prefer the undertake than the overtake quite often around Birmingham because on most of the city roads you get two lanes on each side of the road, thus an overtake (with the bike positioned in-between two adjacent lanes) puts you at the mercy of cars lane hopping & doing all sorts of other unpredictable things. I prefer to undertake and stick to the left hand lane when there's two lanes, then I switch to generally overtake when it's single lane, if that makes sense.
SURPRISE MOFO!!
I have to say - I prefer the undertake than the overtake quite often around Birmingham because on most of the city roads you get two lanes on each side of the road, thus an overtake (with the bike positioned in-between two adjacent lanes) puts you at the mercy of cars lane hopping & doing all sorts of other unpredictable things. I prefer to undertake and stick to the left hand lane when there's two lanes, then I switch to generally overtake when it's single lane, if that makes sense.