Road Cycling

Lethal` · 23 May 2017 at 10:57

Thoughts on this tyre?

Workmate only bought it a few weeks ago and reckons it could have been due to some heavy braking.. I doubt they really braked that hard to be honest. It looks more like it's been burnt down to the inside. I suggested I wouldn't ride it. Apparently they popped into Halfords and they suggested riding it until it gets a puncture... At least it's on the rear I guess...

It's a Conti 4 Season.

Saytan · 23 May 2017 at 10:59

Lethal` said:
Thoughts on this tyre?

Workmate only bought it a few weeks ago and reckons it could have been due to some heavy braking.. I doubt they really braked that hard to be honest. It looks more like it's been burnt down to the inside. I suggested I wouldn't ride it. Apparently they popped into Halfords and they suggested riding it until it gets a puncture... At least it's on the rear I guess...

It's a Conti 4 Season.

that's had it, cloth showing. Dead. Looks like repeated skidding on a single spot, i'd be checking the rim for anything that causes the brake to lock at a particular location.

touch · 23 May 2017 at 11:00

You can rip that much tyre by locking up when braking. Especially on those extra-grip bits of road approaching junctions and things.
Teach your friend to use his front brake!

I agree with Saytan, new tyre time.

Roady · 23 May 2017 at 11:20

I dare say that's been shredded in one 'incident'. Definitely caused by locking the wheel, you can see the tears/rips from tarmac on it, general 'wear' would be less isolated to one area and you'd see more marking over other areas of tread.

I had a GP4 Seasons start showing casing like that from hitting various road debris, although it didn't increase the number of punctures, it was quite old at that point (& 2500 miles). The GP4Seas (and many other GP & Continental tyres) do cut up quite a bit. You don't see any gravel marks on mine, although you see the kevlar layer. Surface of mine cracked quite a bit too!

Defo new tyre, but rideable.

BennyC · 23 May 2017 at 12:44

Roady said:
Haha, Strava premium is one of my little luxuries, can't say I use it much but the couple of times I've stopped it I've missed parts of it (goals & fitness/freshness).

Money much better spent on TrainingPeaks

with a 'proper' PMC

and more metrics you can shake a stick at. Similar price with BC discount and much more beneficial generally. Granted no live segments but don't really value that anyway.

Vonhelmet · 23 May 2017 at 12:54

touch said:
Teach your friend to use his front brake!

I remember when I was learning to ride a road bike and my neighbour telling me to mainly brake with the front brake. It totally makes sense when you think about the physics of it, but as a child you are constantly told to use the rear brake because if you so much as touch the front brake you will be catapulted over the handlebars at light speed and will end up flying straight into the sun. I'm having to teach my two girls that no, it is OK to use the front brake.

FrenchTart · 23 May 2017 at 13:16

Live segments are a pretty rubbish feature anyhow. Barely used them when I had Strava premium and don't miss them now.

Roady · 23 May 2017 at 14:45

BennyC said:
Money much better spent on TrainingPeaks with a 'proper' PMC and more metrics you can shake a stick at. Similar price with BC discount and much more beneficial generally. Granted no live segments but don't really value that anyway.

Probably but I just can't get to grips with the complexity of TP, barely understanding most of the metrics shown in the free version! There's too much information without enough colourful pictures to dumb it down and explain it.

It just seems a little clunky and awkward to me, I feel it's more geared to serious racers/athletes than 'lite' users like me (where I'm just interested in it all rather than specifically tailoring my training based on any metrics etc). The money would be better spent on a coach but I don't take my cycling *that* seriously. If I did, I feel I'd enjoy it less!

Vonhelmet said:
as a child you are constantly told to use the rear brake because if you so much as touch the front brake you will be catapulted over the handlebars at light speed and will end up flying straight into the sun.

Yup, see this again and again on group rides. Not with children either! Far too many people only use their front brake when stopping so when they need to kill lots of speed they apply it far too late (or not at all!).

touch · 23 May 2017 at 14:52

Roady said:
Far too many people only use their front brake when stopping so when they need to kill lots of speed they apply it far too late (or not at all!).

Using only the front brake is the most efficient way of stopping.

BennyC · 23 May 2017 at 14:54

touch said:
Using only the front brake is the most efficient way of stopping.

Live dangerously, enjoy the thrill of not knowing if you will end up head over heels still clipped in

touch · 23 May 2017 at 14:57

BennyC said:
Live dangerously, enjoy the thrill of not knowing if you will end up head over heels still clipped in

If the alternative is not stopping in time and crashing into whatever you had tried to avoid, then I'll take my chances.

BennyC · 23 May 2017 at 15:11

touch said:
If the alternative is not stopping in time and crashing into whatever you had tried to avoid, then I'll take my chances.

I use my front marginally more than my rear

touch · 23 May 2017 at 15:17

Tbh, I do instinctively grab at both brakes when I try to stop in a hurry but I am getting better at using just the front.

Roady · 23 May 2017 at 15:18

Same. I tend to scrub speed with my rear but any serious braking is generally 75% or more front. Rim brake pads I tended to wear the backs slightly quicker than the fronts (I'm going to blame commuting in traffic), but now with the disc brakes I've worn the front loads quicker than the rear (ride in traffic much less now and do much more descending).

Lethal` · 23 May 2017 at 17:12

I use front brake far more... though not when cornering. I must have gone through two sets of front brake pads in the time my rears have been on and they still have a fair amount of life left.

Bear · 23 May 2017 at 18:01

touch said:
Using only the front brake is the most efficient way of stopping.

Surely hanging your backside off the back of your saddle and grabbing a fist full of both brakes is the fastest way of stopping, your front brake is the most efficient brake you have without a doubt.

lordrobs · 23 May 2017 at 18:16

touch said:
Using only the front brake is the most efficient way of stopping.

Only if the rear tyre is floating above the road. I know people quote Sheldon Brown as gospel but his advice on braking is one of the most repeated bits of bad advice in the world of cycling.

Bear said:
Surely hanging your backside off the back of your saddle and grabbing a fist full of both brakes is the fastest way of stopping, your front brake is the most efficient brake you have without a doubt.

Spot on.

Found a purse in the middle of the road on my ride yesterday, tracked the owner down via facebook and they've just picked it up. They left it on the roof after loading their shopping in

Those GP 4 Seasons look like they are made out of Plasticine :eek:

Saytan · 23 May 2017 at 18:19

Just had a planet x email - EC130E with 105 for £1099, that seems like a lot of bike for the cash, although it's silver frames only.

Lethal` · 23 May 2017 at 20:45

Downgraded my cassette from 6800 to 5800 due to the brexit pricing. The 5800 is shinier but also a mildly annoying tinny sound in comparison to the 6800. I guess that's because of the chrome plating on the 5800 unlike the matt effect on the 6800.. probably won't hear it during riding anyway.

BennyC · 23 May 2017 at 21:40

^ breathe heavy enough and you can't hear anything else