Road Cycling

Lethal` · 28 Mar 2017 at 01:10

booyaka said:
looks well used from the pictures - also unless I'm going blind - where is the nut that is on the QR Skewer on the cassette side?? I guess for the price it seems decent but I hated the 23mm Lugano's that came with my caad8. Bin instantly as they were super sketchy!

It's there. You're just looking too closely

Maxeh · 28 Mar 2017 at 07:41

Back to "budget" carbon wheels, who are the favoured suppliers at the moment? eBay that is...

Carbonspeedcycle (£273 delivered, 1 year warranty, Powerway hubs)
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/23mm-Widt...hash=item338f7c8b5a:m:m28QOdFMsDYuNDgjs4M8teA

ICAN (£338 delivered, 2 year warranty, Powerway hubs)
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ICAN-Carb...147916?hash=item19f1b1dd0c:g:TgUAAOSwyDxXg0LE

Superteam (£275 delivered, 2 year warranty, Powerway hubs)
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Clincher-...885951?hash=item3f6d5f0eff:g:8wcAAOSwh2xYBcf2

Arron-bike (£289 delivered, 1 year warranty, Powerway hubs)
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1460g-38m...hash=item5b236be920:m:mqQ2Ct2GjVjGdpt-LSQ_5vA

SoliD · 28 Mar 2017 at 07:53

I would ignore the warranty and find evidence of actual replacement and feedback. As I said csc have been good for me. But not had much testing.

FrenchTart · 28 Mar 2017 at 07:56

Vonhelmet said:
I've only been down artist's lane, when I went back to do the wizard late last year after our ToB jaunt. Is it any good going up it? Surface and visibility were a bit sketchy for a good descent, but I guess it might be better going up.

Descending is horrible yeah. Really gravelly, narrow and with blind turns. Ascending is quite fun though - normally I'll go up that and down the Wizard (or previously Oak Rd, before the "collarbone incident").

FrenchTart · 28 Mar 2017 at 07:57

Maxeh said:
Back to "budget" carbon wheels, who are the favoured suppliers at the moment? eBay that is...

Carbonspeedcycle (£273 delivered, 1 year warranty, Powerway hubs)
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/23mm-Widt...hash=item338f7c8b5a:m:m28QOdFMsDYuNDgjs4M8teA

ICAN (£338 delivered, 2 year warranty, Powerway hubs)
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ICAN-Carb...147916?hash=item19f1b1dd0c:g:TgUAAOSwyDxXg0LE

Superteam (£275 delivered, 2 year warranty, Powerway hubs)
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Clincher-...885951?hash=item3f6d5f0eff:g:8wcAAOSwh2xYBcf2

Arron-bike (£289 delivered, 1 year warranty, Powerway hubs)
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1460g-38m...hash=item5b236be920:m:mqQ2Ct2GjVjGdpt-LSQ_5vA

Take SoliD's advice above.

That said, I definitely have heard good things about ICAN when I was researching similar a year or so back.

Maxeh · 28 Mar 2017 at 08:43

Ok, some in depth research is needed, it's like a minefield!

Roady · 28 Mar 2017 at 09:54

randomshenans said:
Nah, headset parts, you know, nothing important

Canyon. Steering optional.

FrenchTart said:
Didn't use a route as I "totally know these roads". That turned out as well as you can imagine

Saw your drunk spider of a ride and wondered what the hell you were doing lol, at least you didn't give up totally and choose 'take me home'.

Lethal` said:
Perhaps pick some different cross training than shed building

Maybe.

Weekend before I built a glasshouse and then this weekend coming I'm drilling a large hole in my bathroom for an extractor fan. I like to diversify, can't become too specialised. #adulting

BennyC said:
But the SL 8.0 with some (barely) used 404/808 deep sections I picked up locally and some DA groupset upgrades, less £ from the sale of the stock rims & stock groupset items, it's quite good value

Careful, you'll start to out-Canyon Ross. Just don't get pink Zipp decals please! @randomshenans

Lethal` said:
Friend is planning to go look at this bike tomorrow - https://www.gumtree.com/p/bicycles/...on-not-specialized-giant-cube-trek/1225009011

Looks well used and not that frequently cleaned/maintained. Frame looks quite tidy so doubt it's done high miles as it'd look quite a lot worse off if used for winter commuting or such. 2012 tiagra (4600) was trickledown from 105 10 speed (5600?) so your friend should be able to switch out parts with 10 speed 5700/6700. If I recall 4600 is quite a noisy groupset (sounds very similar to 7/8 speed Claris' click-clunk when changing) but robust and reliable (as most lower Shimano groupsets).

Although I'd say £260 could be a bit steep for an unknown older frame, better to try and knock some off it down towards £200 (this was a better colour!), at the end of the day it's a 5 year old aluminium frame with a fairly budget groupset on it that's done quite a few miles. I'd be interested in why the wheels had been switched out, trying to determine if the seller really knows the value of the wheels on it, ideally trying to determine their mileage. They might 'only' be worth around £150 (S/H) but that still sounds like a bit of a deal with the CAAD frameset, if the seller had bought them new for £400 only 2-3 years ago.

randomshenans · 28 Mar 2017 at 10:12

I think you'll find that the pink is a must have. I was looking for a NSW 808 but they're going for bloody 1500+ maybes a little pricey.

Went on a bit of a longer pre work ride this morning. 30km, 420m, about 1hr 15. I need to leave my computer at work more, it was a killer on my not quite recovered back. That and I'm running an 11-25 on the back, which was nice. Out the saddle more. Woke me up a bit, trying to get some fitness back from last year, it's going to take some time. Starving now.

Vonhelmet · 28 Mar 2017 at 10:31

Priority one with gumtree is confirming it's not nicked. The aftermarket wheels gives you a way in to ask some questions - when did he get them, why, how have they been, has he still got the old ones. You know what we bike owners are like, we'll tell a half hour story about changing bar tape, never mind a set of wheels. If he doesn't have good answers or stumbles on any of it then bail out.

Lethal` · 28 Mar 2017 at 11:08

Vonhelmet said:
Priority one with gumtree is confirming it's not nicked. The aftermarket wheels gives you a way in to ask some questions - when did he get them, why, how have they been, has he still got the old ones. You know what we bike owners are like, we'll tell a half hour story about changing bar tape, never mind a set of wheels. If he doesn't have good answers or stumbles on any of it then bail out.

Yeah exactly my thinking. It just raises suspicion. Surely you'd realise you had put different wheels on and it seemed like something worth mentioning considering the rest of the description.

Speaking of changing bar tape... did it for the first time on Sunday. Thought it all went well though was surprisingly not that easy to get it looking perfect, a few backturns to get it right. Turns out I left a fair bump in the centre of the drop and it's rather uncomfortable to hold! Urgh.

I also cut my outer cable housing a bit too short to also fit my camera mount in... so tight left turns aren't particularly possible. Whoops.

Roady said:
Although I'd say £260 could be a bit steep for an unknown older frame, better to try and knock some off it down towards £200 (this was a better colour!), at the end of the day it's a 5 year old aluminium frame with a fairly budget groupset on it that's done quite a few miles. I'd be interested in why the wheels had been switched out, trying to determine if the seller really knows the value of the wheels on it, ideally trying to determine their mileage. They might 'only' be worth around £150 (S/H) but that still sounds like a bit of a deal with the CAAD frameset, if the seller had bought them new for £400 only 2-3 years ago.

Maybe a bit steep but you don't really see second hand relatively new bikes for much less than £250 secondhand. It is tempting to just suggest they stump up the extra £50-75 and get a new CAAD8 with Claris. I don't think they'll be too fussed about the groupset as long as it works.

Going to Cali · 28 Mar 2017 at 11:50

Can anyone suggest how to remove the front hub end caps?
- my hub is similar to the front one in the pictures here : http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ICAN-Carb...147916?hash=item19f1b1dd0c:g:TgUAAOSwyDxXg0LE.

Saytan · 28 Mar 2017 at 11:56

Going to Cali said:
Can anyone suggest how to remove the front hub end caps?
- my hub is similar to the front one in the pictures here : http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ICAN-Carb...147916?hash=item19f1b1dd0c:g:TgUAAOSwyDxXg0LE.

oftentimes, removing end caps involves putting an allen key in each end of the axle. That appears to be the case for these too.

Roady · 28 Mar 2017 at 12:12

As Saytan says, they're usually held in with nothing more than a tight fit and a rubber seal so pulled them slightly off centre/at an angle they should just 'pop' out!

While we're talking wheels and Saytan is here, do you have any tips on how to remove axle nuts which are particularly stubbon? Taken the drive side off easily, axle easily moves within freehub & wheel, but the NDS nut refuses to budge so I can't remove the cap and take the axle out to replace a bearing.

Axle has angled marks/grooves on it, but they seem to be '3 sided' so I can't use a normal spanner/wrench (2 sided) on it... Need some way to hold the axle so I can get enough force on the nut, short of drilling a hole through it I'm unsure how?!

https://youtu.be/jBGxrz7g9WY?t=84 - this nut/configuration, but nowhere near that easy!

randomshenans said:
Went on a bit of a longer pre work ride this morning. 30km, 420m, about 1hr 15. I need to leave my computer at work more, it was a killer on my not quite recovered back. That and I'm running an 11-25 on the back, which was nice. Out the saddle more. Woke me up a bit, trying to get some fitness back from last year, it's going to take some time. Starving now.

Good mileage you're starting to rack up mate, keep at it! With your laptop it'd almost be worth doing your usual commute to 'drop it' at work before doing your 10/15 mile pre-work!?

Did a quick 9.5 myself last night after work to try and loosen the aching legs & kill or cure whatever illness might be coming on! Feeling only slightly better today but didn't sleep well, a broken maybe 5 hours. Not sure whats wrong with me! One thing I've not had a problem with recently is sleeping well.

Since I started cycling I've slept probably 7+ hours most nights! So pretty sure that's not helping. Zwift race later or tomorrow to really hammer myself (should sleep well after that!) before only commuting the rest of the week to recover, kinda hoping for ok weather for a club ride/solo adventure on the weekend (that I missed out on last weekend!).

BennyC · 28 Mar 2017 at 12:21

randomshenans said:
I was looking for a NSW 808 but they're going for bloody 1500+ maybes a little pricey.

£1,130 on Wiggle, though only Campag hub in stock. Unless you wanted tubular?

Going to Cali · 28 Mar 2017 at 12:31

Saytan said:
oftentimes, removing end caps involves putting an allen key in each end of the axle. That appears to be the case for these too.

Can you elaborate? Do you need two of the same size and screw out in alternating directions, or do they push out? Sorry to be stoopid..

Roady · 28 Mar 2017 at 12:34

Push/pull. You're using the elbow of the allen key to hook the end caps out, not the allen/hex shape.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTNWLisFOP8

You can get a vice adaptor to hold them if they're too stubborn - https://youtu.be/W_8uTjJ8MKU?t=54

Saytan · 28 Mar 2017 at 13:04

Some types do screw though.

Lethal` · 28 Mar 2017 at 13:38

Roady said:
Since I started cycling I've slept probably 7+ hours most nights! So pretty sure that's not helping. Zwift race later or tomorrow to really hammer myself (should sleep well after that!)

Lucky! I had about 4 hours last night (too warm, not tired enough) before smashing it round Surrey this morning aha. So glad I did actually get up though as the weather was great once the sun popped out. Should sleep well tonight!

Shadowness · 28 Mar 2017 at 13:57

First chain gang of the year this evening. Feeling quite fit at the moment, but this is always a good test!

randomshenans · 28 Mar 2017 at 14:08

Roady said:
Good mileage you're starting to rack up mate, keep at it! With your laptop it'd almost be worth doing your usual commute to 'drop it' at work before doing your 10/15 mile pre-work!?

Did a quick 9.5 myself last night after work to try and loosen the aching legs & kill or cure whatever illness might be coming on! Feeling only slightly better today but didn't sleep well, a broken maybe 5 hours. Not sure whats wrong with me! One thing I've not had a problem with recently is sleeping well.

Since I started cycling I've slept probably 7+ hours most nights! So pretty sure that's not helping. Zwift race later or tomorrow to really hammer myself (should sleep well after that!) before only commuting the rest of the week to recover, kinda hoping for ok weather for a club ride/solo adventure on the weekend (that I missed out on last weekend!).

Yea, I just know if I get to work I'll never leave again

but I'm going to see if I can get something at home, so I don't need to bring it all the time. That would help a lot. I packed on weight with working all the hours, eating comfort food, drinking way more booze and travelling, too. So I'm now aiming to try and get my 40km in a day through whatever means I can. I'm hoping once we move I can have a bit more structure in my schedule to allow me to alternate a morning ride with some decent zwift mileage too.