Nope.
I remember my first rides on a road bike, and being scared balanced on teeny 23mm tyres. They grip a lot better than you might expect!
Road Cycling
- Thread starter FrenchTart
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I remember my first rides on a road bike, and being scared balanced on teeny 23mm tyres. They grip a lot better than you might expect!
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Agreed, unless the tyres are Kendas or Gatorskins 
It's the basis I'd use and on TTF is the suggested route as well. You could also consider the length of stock seatpost to determine how much play you might have as well with saddle height.
Soldato
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Proof that disc brake or rim brake incompetent riders gon' crash.
Soldato
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I used these to decide between the 56 and 58cm Cube Attain GTC Pro Disc last weekend, having had a test ride on a 55.5cm Boardman CX Team a few weeks back, that felt great for my weakish lower back. The larger Cube had very similar reach and 23mm extra stack, so even less pressure on my back, felt great on first ride this evening and a fair few segment PBs (including ones without a tailwind
).
The tyres are Kenda's. Should I replace them?Agreed, unless the tyres are Kendas or Gatorskins
Soldato
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Brutal bunch tonight with this easterly wind.
Thought I was getting dropped only a few miles in but managed to throw myself up a climb and get nearer the front. Thankfully I loosened up and made it round. First time up the big hill rather than the shortcut.
Got home and had to rush to out of hours vet. £220 lighter :|
Thought I was getting dropped only a few miles in but managed to throw myself up a climb and get nearer the front. Thankfully I loosened up and made it round. First time up the big hill rather than the shortcut.
Got home and had to rush to out of hours vet. £220 lighter :|
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Getting decent tyres is one of the cheapest upgrades you can do that makes a real difference to how nice the bike feels to ride (and how well it grips in the wet). I'd recommend changing them out yeah. Popular options are 4Seasons, GP4000SIIs and Pro4s. There's other good choices too of course.
I waffled on about the Etape Loch Ness here for anyone interested
Again thanks to @xdcx, @touch and @booyaka for their hospitality!
Super write up Chris. I am glad you enjoyed your time up here in the Highlands and thanks very much for plugging our club a few times in your article. Top man
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Good work and, as someone who has spent far too much time at the vet recently, I hope everything is OK on that front.
Good pointers thanks, I had intended on continuing my attempts at the chaingang or thirsty thursdays. Both high intensity and threshold for me, so good training!
Goodluck!I'm the riding the Tour of Peaks (http://velo29events.com/sportives/tour-of-the-peak/) on Sunday where there are some pretty sweet downhills so might max out at 60mph. It all depends on wind direction and how effective the brave pills are
Supreme riding already & good luck for this weekend!I'm riding Saturday + Sunday in the Peaks too this weekend. Six of us renting a cottage somewhere near Tideswell, then two days of riding for me and brother-in-lawBiL is doing Saturday's route and I think he's loading it with climbing, though not that you can really avoid it in the Peaks.
Warmed up last Sunday with the Tour de Yorkshire sportive - 98km and 2200m of climbing (Strava)
Great write up Chris, didn't we have a 'Sportive' thread on here at some point for write ups? Kudos to our northern bretheren for looking after you so well, same with the Coylton CC guys, sounds like you made some good friends!I waffled on about the Etape Loch Ness here for anyone interested
Again thanks to @xdcx, @touch and @booyaka for their hospitality!
But, a minor point... You can't say something like this gem 'Just down from the feed stop a lucky spectator has a photo of me with half a granola sticking out my gob!' without providing the picture (or at least a link to it!)
I'll admit (as a disc advocate) how 'easily' it looks like that disc cut him but lets be honest, two 80kg+ riders not paying enough attention to riders in front (not displaying a very basic group riding skill!) and not making much attempt to brake (before piling into the back of someone) is always going to cause some pretty savage damage somewhere!
Even at those low speeds. 
Rounding disc edges seems the logical first (and easy) step in mitigating much of the 'spinning hot knife' rhetoric, I personally think even putting a plastic strip around the outside of the disc (and modifying pad designs slightly) is a better solution. But lets face it big manufacturers are not going to modify caliper design, so rounded edges and disc 'covers' will be the way the problem is 'solved'. Although I would expect to see some manufacturers developing some safety measures in future designs.
But lets face it, even with rim brakes those numpties would've hurt each other. Just try and remember the safety discs bring - if the Roubaix rider had actually braked he'd have totally missed any contact (and probably been hit by someone riding rim brakes behind lol). Without my discs I'd have hit a guy last thursday after he was wiped out by a badger, I came within a couple of inches of him braking very hard, a rim brake in that situation would probably have had me on the floor too!
Depends on the wheel & riding! But no, they're strong! There's a video on GCN (or similar somewhere) where I think they put road wheels on a car to prove how strong they are. Although road wheels are as fast as they look (rider dependant!)
Depends on your riding, replacements recommended will probably have better grip in the wet & dry, faster and probably lighter too.
You guys know that the NHS is free for humans right? You don't have to go to the vets because you think it'll be cheaper than the doctors!
(although my dad has done a few times! )Hope everything's ok & worth the bills!
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Did I mention I don't really like climbs? At least I prefer short sharp things we get here that are like a few minutes effort. Box Hill is what I would consider long! The climb on the Etape... mega long.
Looks like a really nice area to cycle though. If I'm ever up that way again I'll have to check it out. As for OcUK meet at some point we're supposed to be doing a Chiltern tour - right @BennyC?
Great write up Chris, didn't we have a 'Sportive' thread on here at some point for write ups? Kudos to our northern bretheren for looking after you so well, same with the Coylton CC guys, sounds like you made some good friends!
But, a minor point... You can't say something like this gem 'Just down from the feed stop a lucky spectator has a photo of me with half a granola sticking out my gob!' without providing the picture (or at least a link to it!)
I don't remember any thread to be honest. Coylton CC = @booyaka and co
As for the photo I wish I got a copy! As I saw her take it I just thought that's gonna look horrendous!
I managed to find one spectator's photo of me at the finish line... just a blur!
You guys know that the NHS is free for humans right? You don't have to go to the vets because you think it'll be cheaper than the doctors!
Hope everything's ok & worth the bills!
You get seen a lot quicker at the Vets though, and crunchy treats are absolutely delicious.
Hahaha, good 'race face'! Thought you enjoyed it?As for the photo I wish I got a copy! As I saw her take it I just thought that's gonna look horrendous!
I managed to find one spectator's photo of me at the finish line... just a blur!
Extra kudos for kit & bike colour coordination, aero position and riding everyone off your wheel.
Yeah, my dad's reckoning - more local, get seen quicker & out of hours, stitching would be tidier and he could put the cost on the farm account (to claim the VAT back)!
This is the same guy who when clipping the garden hedge only went to the doctors (for a 'cut') after he'd finished and the neighbour had complained about the amount of blood running down the road... 3 stitches in his foot & wellington had filled!
Although doesn't explain why I'm so soft?! lol
Although doesn't explain why I'm so soft?! lol
Chiltern tour - right ?
#Soon.
Yeah, my dad's reckoning - more local, get seen quicker & out of hours, stitching would be tidier and he could put the cost on the farm account (to claim the VAT back)!
Also less chance of picking up an infection.
Some context please! How much cheaper are they and how quick are you wearing through genuine ones? I'd imagine they're a cheaper material so would wear faster...?
If you've not got a 'spare' pair of pedals then it's always cheaper to buy pedals (as they come with a set of cleats). Some other people buy pedals (£25?) & sell them (for £20) (keeping the cleats...)
I think my pedals are the Shimano 105 ones - so they're pretty good, I don't have spare pedals.
I was just weighing up £13 for shimano cleats (mine look a bit rough but will probably be ok for a few more months yet) or £4 for Chinese shimano compatible cleats.
May be a good idea there - cheaper just buying basic R540's, keep the cleats & sell the pedals.
I was just weighing up £13 for shimano cleats (mine look a bit rough but will probably be ok for a few more months yet) or £4 for Chinese shimano compatible cleats.
May be a good idea there - cheaper just buying basic R540's, keep the cleats & sell the pedals.
The weather looks perfect on Sunday and with 2300 other riders it should be a fun day.