Road Cycling

Roady · 25 Dec 2016 at 11:16

Merry Christmas all!

xdcx said:
p.s. if Tom Boonen wins a classic on a disc equipped bike next year I will purchase something from Rapha.

Quoted. Can't wait!

SoliD said:
I hope people stating their distances are not including zwift miles.

If we exclude Zwift miles and commuting then i'm screwed. Would only have 1500 or something!

Shadowness said:
Can any PLEASE recommend a Garmin mount that doesn't let the unit rattle like **** in the mount?! .

k-edge or barfly. Both crazy expensive though. I have no problems with either of my Superstar mounts, actually had to grease 1 of them as it was quite tight!

SoliD said:
Nope, miles on turbo are subject to how accurate your turbo is, just loosen off the resistance, wahey another 100 miles on top, and then you don't battle the wind and rain and heat and whatever

South coaster saying to exclude sunny weather perfect rides from totals? Would half your total mate!

SoliD · 25 Dec 2016 at 12:34

Roady said:
Merry Christmas all!

Quoted. Can't wait!

If we exclude Zwift miles and commuting then i'm screwed. Would only have 1500 or something!
k-edge or barfly. Both crazy expensive though. I have no problems with either of my Superstar mounts, actually had to grease 1 of them as it was quite tight!
South coaster saying to exclude sunny weather perfect rides from totals? Would half your total mate!

I only ride in the wind and rain. 250km of festive 500 complete. Too easy.

Sycho · 25 Dec 2016 at 12:54

I am thinking of buying the Specialized Elite Diverge DSW 2017 model this week but wondering if the £650 version is good enough? to be honest i am not a serious cyclist as i mainly will be using it for commuting(around 80-100 miles a week) however i do tend to cycle over all types of terrain especially during Spring/Summer.

I am currently using an old 2008 xc comp mtb which has served me well though it's starting to have issues now so wish to replace.

Saytan · 25 Dec 2016 at 13:25

Sycho said:
I am thinking of buying the Specialized Elite Diverge DSW 2017 model this week but wondering if the £650 version is good enough? to be honest i am not a serious cyclist as i mainly will be using it for commuting(around 80-100 miles a week) however i do tend to cycle over all types of terrain especially during Spring/Summer.

I am currently using an old 2008 xc comp mtb which has served me well though it's starting to have issues now so wish to replace.

It'll be a bit heavier and a few components might not last as long, but yes. It'll be grand.

Berger · 25 Dec 2016 at 14:07

Few of you getting in some big miles already as part of the Festive 500.

I managed a Festive 45... and I did wear a red and white jersey!

Cant see me getting anywhere near it, but I hadn't planned to. I'll be happy if I manage 250.

Lethal` · 25 Dec 2016 at 15:05

Festive 45 for me today as well.. I normally wear red/white/black anyway

Brutal winds again but utilised them and the lack of traffic to nick a mate's KOM

Shamrock · 25 Dec 2016 at 16:57

I've got hydro discs on my hire bike and I don't know, there's something not right about them that I can't quite put my finger on. I've only had them for 3 days but I'm just not super confident with them yet on the technical mountain descents.

Not sure if I'm worried about locking my wheels with the extra power available or if the reversed euro brake levers (front brake is left shifter) means I'm not applying the correct front/rear power or the fact that they apply force to a different part of the wheel affects the handling somehow. :confused:

Maybe I'm just more comfortable with the handling/braking on my own bike since I ride it all the time!

jonneymendoza · 25 Dec 2016 at 18:33

ive had soo much positives about this bike and apparently its the best budget bike of the year

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/ultra-720-af-road-bike-ultegra-id_8331274.html

going to purchase this sometime next week

BennyC · 26 Dec 2016 at 08:18

When you get a cycling related cracker joke:

SoliD · 26 Dec 2016 at 10:02

Out the door at 6.30 after being unable to sleep. Quick 25 miles. Lovely being able to ride on the main roads with no traffic. Legs starting to feel the last 2 days. Not done this sort of mileage since September. Only 211km to go on festive 500. Hoping to get that down to 80 by end of tomorrow.

One More Solo · 26 Dec 2016 at 10:20

Good work SoliD. Hoping to do another 40-50km later then 100km tomorrow. Should leave me with about 170km to go.

SoliD · 26 Dec 2016 at 10:38

One More Solo said:
Good work SoliD. Hoping to do another 40-50km later then 100km tomorrow. Should leave me with about 170km to go.

Would have probably gone for a longer easier ride today but currently on way to my brothers. I had contemplated asking to be picked up along the way at Guildford but thought that'd be pushing it :-P

Roady · 26 Dec 2016 at 11:17

SoliD said:
I only ride in the wind and rain. 250km of festive 500 complete. Too easy.

Festive 500 offroad (cx only) next year?

Sycho said:
I am thinking of buying the Specialized Elite Diverge DSW 2017 model this week but wondering if the £650 version is good enough?

should cope fine, think the 2017 models avoid the SCS/Wheelset issues and use QR''s? If so you'll have a choice of wheels in the future without any issues. I have a 2015/16 Comp Carbon and love it. Replaced a Giant Defy with it for commuting and leisure, enjoying it so much I can't see the Defy coming back out as a summer bike (just nothing to gain going back to alu frame & rim brakes).

Shamrock said:
I've got hydro discs on my hire bike and I don't know, there's something not right about them that I can't quite put my finger on. I've only had them for 3 days but I'm just not super confident with them yet on the technical mountain descents.

Not sure if I'm worried about locking my wheels with the extra power available

You should have more than enough modulation easily available to avoid locking the wheels, much of it is confidence and finding the grip point of the tyres rather than the locking point of the brakes. I still skid (well more of a skip) mine occasionally when the conditions and surfaces change when applying much more than a speed scrub. What bike is it you've hired? Hydro your choice or just what was available? Have a great time!

BennyC said:
When you get a cycling related cracker joke:

#crackerlols :rolleyes:

Roady · 26 Dec 2016 at 11:35

Anyone spotted any 'boxing day sale' or such where it'd be worth grabbing cycling electronics from? Ideally i'm after an ELEMNT for ^£200 and some PowerTap P1''s for ^£700 to bring both in for under the 1k kinda mark, so somewhere with 20% off?!

BennyC · 26 Dec 2016 at 11:54

Would be surprised if either of those items are offered at near those prices but if you were to reigster with an e-tailer for the first time you usually get 10% off (upto £250 I think, did this with PBK for my DA chainset), if they're on Quidco as well and also happen to have an offer on you might get close.

Triton have P1's for £880

And Wahoo seem to have a £50 cashback offer for trading in your old GPS. Though if it's worth more than that to sell it I'd just do that? Got £100~ for my 500 and S/C sensors back in August/September, paid £200 for the E so the upgrade only cost me £100 in effect.

Not sure if the 'prepaid card' can be used anywhere or not though... but buy from a retailer on Quidco or with an offer on and could be a bargain.

Edit:

T&C's said:
Participants who purchase a new (i.e. not second hand or refurbished) qualifying Wahoo ELEMNT GPS Bike Computer (the “Promotional Product”) within the Promotion Period from a Participating Retailer in the UK will be eligible to trade in their existing bike computer (Trade-Up Device) and receive a “Trade-in Reward” of £50.00 sent by a pre-paid Mastercard.

Indigo · 26 Dec 2016 at 12:36

Anyone know of independent brands who have a sale at the moment similar to Chapeau.cc?

And seeing family in Wolverhampton at the moment so no cycling for me until the 29th when I get back to Manchester. Hoping to get another 150km or so in before the year ends so no Festive 500 for me but will do something.

Berger · 26 Dec 2016 at 12:54

Ooof.

I did 64km this morning, conditions aren't really ideal, but at least it isn't cold.

I got rain and hail, but predominantly high gusty winds for the whole ride.

I had planned on 50km so was starting to feel a bonk coming towards the end.

I've been following a local pro so can see where hes been riding to scope out better roads/climbs.

https://www.strava.com/segments/1554430?filter=overall

Good alternative to riding over Parbold hill for you Wigan people. Longer, quieter road and not as steep.

Vonhelmet · 26 Dec 2016 at 13:42

Yep, Ashurst Beacon is a good climb.

It's windy af here. And it's gonna be frosty for a couple of days... No riding for me just now.

Shamrock · 26 Dec 2016 at 16:20

Roady said:
What bike is it you've hired? Hydro your choice or just what was available? Have a great time!

Cannondale Supersix Evo Disc. I actually hired one with Di2 and rim brakes but they didn't have one in my size so I ended up with discs and no Di2! :mad:

Today I did the 45km climb to the highest point on the island. I like climbing but a 3 hour climb is borderline too much in a single sitting! :eek:

Roady · 26 Dec 2016 at 19:03

BennyC said:
Would be surprised if either of those items are offered at near those prices but if you were to reigster with an e-tailer for the first time you usually get 10% off (upto £250 I think, did this with PBK for my DA chainset), if they're on Quidco as well and also happen to have an offer on you might get close.<snip>
And Wahoo seem to have a £50 cashback offer for trading in your old GPS. Though if it's worth more than that to sell it I'd just do that? Got £100~ for my 500 and S/C sensors back in August/September, paid £200 for the E so the upgrade only cost me £100 in effect.

The PBK entry is only valid up to £20 according to the T&C's so fairly limited. Says it can't be used on Garmin either '*Garmin, Shimano, twin tyre packs & Gift Vouchers are excluded from this offer and the maximum discount value is £20'. They also don't seem to stock Wahoo...

Good price on the P1's but I know I can snaffle a used set for £500-600 on the 'bay (will at some point unless I can get a bargain on new), then I'd be quite tempted to investigate how much Powertap charge to check calibration & update firmware & caps... So a new set has to be around the £700-800 mark to justify really. Ho-hum.

The ELEMNT is new ~£220 on Wiggle, I know my 810 even with it's quirks is worth ~£100 so no point trading in to Wahoo...

Shamrock said:
Cannondale Supersix Evo Disc. I actually hired one with Di2 and rim brakes but they didn't have one in my size so I ended up with discs and no Di2!

Today I did the 45km climb to the highest point on the island. I like climbing but a 3 hour climb is borderline too much in a single sitting!

Nice choice with the Supersix, it climbs ok then!

Only 3+ hour climb you'd like is with chalk using your hands?

Berger said:
I've been following a local pro so can see where hes been riding to scope out better roads/climbs.

Checked Clusterer?

Few on there which look ok, Ironman UK bike leg from 2015 and an Omskirk chaingang route.