Road Cycling

Couple of days back commuting after a heavy saturday ride and a busy 2 days Monday & Tuesday (but nothing on the bike - Snowboarding & Shopping). Legs were dead yesterday and feel fatigued today but I need to get back on the turbo to continue my ~100 miles per week. I dipped in October and really suffered for it, then was ill so missed out 2 weeks at the end of November. I won't have a problem once I'm off work as I'll have plenty of time for the turbo, so these couple of weeks (until the 22nd) are key.

Will break 4k miles for the year today/tomorrow so I think a 4.5k goal for 2017 is best.
Shamrock said:
Just in time for the disc discussion, Canyon release their disc-equipped variants.

http://road.cc/content/tech-news/21...-available-disc-brakes-including-ultimate-and
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That Ultimate CF in Blue metallic paint looks gorgeous! *drool* :eek:
jonneymendoza said:
sweet ok here is the plan

change my mtb tyres for some road tyres if possible for commuting

Buy a 1k ultega groupset bike for nice long pleasure rides in the summer!
good?
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Tyres will make a huge difference to speeds and effort levels when riding on tarmac.

N+1 is always good! ;)
 
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Roady said:
Couple of days back commuting after a heavy saturday ride and a busy 2 days Monday & Tuesday (but nothing on the bike). Legs were dead yesterday and feel fatigued today but I need to get back on the turbo to continue my ~100 miles per week. I dipped in October and really suffered for it, then was ill so missed out 2 weeks at the end of November. I won't have a problem once I'm off work as I'll have plenty of time for the turbo, so these couple of weeks (until the 22nd) are key.

Will break 4k miles for the year today/tomorrow so I think a 4.5k goal for 2017 is best.
That Ultimate CF in Blue metallic paint looks gorgeous! *drool* :eek:
Tyres will make a huge difference to speeds and effort levels when riding on tarmac.

N+1 is always good! ;)
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question:

Why dont people use large wider tyres then for training? surely riding on mtb tyres makes u fitter and stronger then the average road cyclist?
 
Roady said:
That Ultimate CF in Blue metallic paint looks gorgeous! *drool* :eek:
Tyres will make a huge difference to speeds and effort levels when riding on tarmac.

N+1 is always good! ;)
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I managed 30km/h average over 10km on the MTB commute the other day. Beat that :p

https://www.strava.com/activities/790702081

Edit: I managed 29.2 last night, which is up there. Full on MTB nobbly tyre power
 
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jonneymendoza said:
question:

Why dont people use large wider tyres then for training? surely riding on mtb tyres makes u fitter and stronger then the average road cyclist?
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Probably, but it can be a totally different riding 'style' when rolling wider & bigger rubber. If you're increasing your power, but changing your riding style (position, flat bars & less aero to name a few) then you won't see huge gains when back on the road bike (different position). Same as lots of guys going from a road bike to a TT bike and find themselves losing power in the TT position until they're used to it. Some will even have different power zones for the two different positions, from different FTP's.

The majority of road riding club riders will have a winter 'hack', which is usually an older 'best/summer bike'. These usually won't have the clearance for larger tyres. Those who also ride MTB/CX traditionally were the ones running the wider clearance and tyres as they'd have first hand experience of the bigger surface area and air volume. Some would specifically/traditionally buy those larger clearance frames for future/winter/CX clearance.

The new 'adventure' and 'gravel' markets are really just clever sales being pushed of these wider clearance 'road' bikes with bigger tyres/grip/volumes as an extra to road riding, rather than anything really different. Of course sales want you to have a different bike for all of the different riding you do! ;)
 
Roady said:
SKS Raceblade Long. They're about your only option due to the clearance, although look to see if there is a set the same brand as your bike designed for your model. Although google lots of reviews of them, I went through 2 sets of Giant guards designed specifically for fitting the Defy and neither of them came close to the coverage, quality & fit of Raceblade Longs. They even fit to the QR so you don't even need frame mounts. ...
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Thanks - subsequently saw a road.cc post that suggested 5mm was needed fork/tyre clearance for SKS Raceblade so at 3mm do not hold much hope; plus I realised rear does not descend to shield front derailleur.
So may buy a pair of aluminium ones and try cutting them and putting in some bridging beneath brakes with a stainless plate to get through the narrow gap (kickstarter?)
seems to be a lot of contention about the need for the quick break away tabs on the fronts of the sks's - horror stories of people w/o these, who have sucked up debris and been thrown over bars, never had any problems on commuting bike myself with 1/2" guard clearance & 28mm tyres.
 
jonneymendoza said:
question:

Why dont people use large wider tyres then for training? surely riding on mtb tyres makes u fitter and stronger then the average road cyclist?
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Surely you'd just go faster on the non wide tyre / mtb bike... effort levels could be the same.

I know I'd rather go faster for the same effort than ride something unfit for purpose for little if any gain?
 
jonneymendoza said:
sweet ok here is the plan

change my mtb tyres for some road tyres if possible for commuting

Buy a 1k ultega groupset bike for nice long pleasure rides in the summer!
good?
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What size wheels do you have? 26", 27.5" or 29er (same as 700c road)?

Do you want tyres strictly for road use, or something that can cope with the odd bit of light off-road?
 
merlin said:
Lovely, except £1800 minimum for the cheapest. :(

I don't think at 45 yrs of age there's much point in me spending £1800 on a bike - I wouldn't get any extra out of a £1800 bike than a £1000 bike, hence next bike budget will be just that - £1,000 and not a penny more.
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I'm of exactly the same mindset but my cap is around £600 for a road bike. TBH though unless I break my current one I can't really see me buying another road bike in at least the next 5 years, probably longer.

If I suddenly came into a lot of money I'd get something really nice but purely from a 'want' perspective rather than thinking it will actually do any more for me.
 
lordrobs said:
I'm of exactly the same mindset but my cap is around £600 for a road bike. TBH though unless I break my current one I can't really see me buying another road bike in at least the next 5 years, probably longer.

If I suddenly came into a lot of money I'd get something really nice but purely from a 'want' perspective rather than thinking it will actually do any more for me.
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Yeah. I think if I come to a point where my current bike is holding me back then that's the point where I'll take a step up, but right now tbh I think I am the weak link in the 'my bike and me' partnership. I think I need to feel like I'm earning an upgrade.
 
jonneymendoza said:
no you will use up less effort on slicker road tyres vs mtb tyres
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which was the point he stated? You will go quicker for the same effort on thinner tyres, why go slowly when you can go as fast and further for the same effort, which would be more similar in all conditions, ie through turns etc and strengthen your body in the way you need it to match your kit.IE TT position or road bike whatever it may be.
 
jpaul said:
Thanks - subsequently saw a road.cc post that suggested 5mm was needed fork/tyre clearance for SKS Raceblade so at 3mm do not hold much hope; plus I realised rear does not descend to shield front derailleur.
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My Defy has around 2-3mm clearance between tyre and the bridge clip of the Raceblade, I'd guess around 5mm without. The clearance was less when running Mitch Pro4 E's (yours look like?), I found switching to Continental worked for an extra mm of clearance, reducing the rubbing I would occasionally get.

You're correct about the RD shielding. I played with riveting part of a Crud roadracer mk2 into the rear SKS guard, it worked but my riveting skills were questionable and I lost it a couple of rides afterwards as I hadn't secured it to the frame. Shame as that design on the crud worked well to keep even some spray/filth off the driverchain from the wheel. Not even my other fixed SKS guards have as much coverage there so I'm tempted to revisit the idea at some point.

Clearance was so tight that picking up grass at the start of a sportive on a grassy park area was enough to jam between my wheel and guards. I had to stop and remove it before continuing! :eek:
Lethal` said:
Surely you'd just go faster on the non wide tyre / mtb bike... effort levels could be the same.

I know I'd rather go faster for the same effort than ride something unfit for purpose for little if any gain?
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Speed wasn't the consideration, but winter 'training' on a harder heavier MTB in the winter to give gain on the road bike in the summer. ;)

My previous post wasn't exactly saying yes or no, but there are far more considerations than pure leg strength - positioning and efficiency from position probably more closely related to direct power output.
 
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merlin said:
Lovely, except £1800 minimum for the cheapest. :(

I don't think at 45 yrs of age there's much point in me spending £1800 on a bike - I wouldn't get any extra out of a £1800 bike than a £1000 bike, hence next bike budget will be just that - £1,000 and not a penny more.
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My neighbour is 60 and has a caad10, a Ridley he built himself, and a fancy carbon specialized something or other with ultegra/dura ace and omg mavic carbon wheels. If you've got the cash then why not...
 
Vonhelmet said:
My neighbour is 60 and has a caad10, a Ridley he built himself, and a fancy carbon specialized something or other with ultegra/dura ace and omg mavic carbon wheels. If you've got the cash then why not...
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One of our club TTer's has a lovely Trek Speed Concept with full Dura-Ace Di2, with accompanying Zipp stuff, he loves it. His recovery rides are more TTs, he usually does 3 every week during the summer.
 
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Vonhelmet said:
My neighbour is 60 and has a caad10, a Ridley he built himself, and a fancy carbon specialized something or other with ultegra/dura ace and omg mavic carbon wheels. If you've got the cash then why not...
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Absolutely, if every purchase had to be justifiable financially or on merit nearly everyone would be going round in cheap everything and nearly all luxury/niche brands would be out of business.
 
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