Road Cycling

[xdcx]

You know it is hot when it sounds like you're riding on punctures as the road is melting below you.

xdcx/touch you may have never experienced this before, but its almost the same reaction your skin has when direct sunlight hits it.

Hey, we got 19 degree's today!
Touch and myself were racing yesterday and it was pretty naff weather.... Yet my arms are a bright shade of red and I have a tan (burn) lines now So the UV levels must have been level 1 or maybe even more! Also known as "Scottish skin destroying level" which is essentially the level reached at any point when the glowy sky thing is visible.

 

[Shamrock]

Are you using a campagnolo chain tool to check it? They cost eleventy billion pounds but a shimano one won't read a campag chain correctly.

I have the Park Tool CC2 which I understand doesn't measure Campag chains properly.

However, I'm going based on the shifting and after 8300mi the shifting still hasn't deteriorated and I've not needed to change the cables yet either!

 

[Vonhelmet]

I have the Park Tool CC2 which I understand doesn't measure Campag chains properly.

However, I'm going based on the shifting and after 8300mi the shifting still hasn't deteriorated and I've not needed to change the cables yet either!

No way, I was joking, but googling around it seems chain wear tools don't actually work very well with campag chains

 

[DEL 707]

Been 1 hell of a fun day.
Called Decathlon in my lunch to make sure they had the bike I wanted in stock, guy turns round and says yes that it'll take about 20-30 mins to saftey check, but I'll be able to take it away today.
I run down there after work and long story short, I left there 2 hours later!

I take it nice and easy cycling to the station, been over 20 years since I've been on anything other then a mountain bike, and I'm not used to London traffic.
As I go along, I get a bit of confidence and pick up some speed, shifting into the higher gears and the bike starts making an god awful clanking sound. I should have turned around, but at that point I've missed so many trains that I just want to get home.

I get the station and my trains been cancelled, so I've got an hours wait.
So in summary, **** Decathlon!

With that rant out of the way, I need some suggestions for bits and bobs.
Bike I picked up was a B'Twin Triban 520 and I need a panniers rack and some panniers, was looking at the stuff in Decathlon, but they were all too big for what I wanted, just want some little bags for food/drink/repairs.

Also can anyone recommend some lights? Because I had a fun time cycling home in the dark.

 

[Shadowness]

Chaps, does anyone know what method Garmin uses for their power zones?

When I compare Garmin and Strava data (and Training Peaks), they are different......

So a gentle recovery ride in this morning shows a dominant Z1 effort on Strava, but Z2 on Garmin.

And I assume I'm riding to what Garmin says, as their zones are displayed on my 520.

Do they use different calculations for power zones? It doesn't help that I can't see the exact figures Garmin is using, unlike Strava which you can see if the pic.

 

[SoliD]

Garmins are all set in the profile section for you to check.

 

[Roady]

@Saytan around? Or someone have much knowledge of maintaining freehubs? In my excitement about getting mine apart on the weekend I greased it all with a very fine grease... Freehub is working loads better than before (tinny & crunchy noises) but is now totally silent. STEALTH BOMBING! Feel really weird that things are almost utterly silent when freewheeling, with more noises pedalling. I should've used an oil rather than the grease! Is it fine to just wipe some of the excess grease out of the freehub and apply lube to the pawls, or should I use degreaser to strip it all out and start again?

I ended up emailing Hunt - they suggested it could be the rotor lock ring rubbing on the fork and lo and behold that's the problem. Hopefully they'll come back to me with a solution!

Wow that's some tight tolerances! How proud is the endcap that side? Are the endcaps on the right sides of the hub (if different)...?

shifting into the higher gears and the bike starts making an god awful clanking sound.<snip>
With that rant out of the way, I need some suggestions for bits and bobs.
Bike I picked up was a B'Twin Triban 520 and I need a panniers rack and some panniers, was looking at the stuff in Decathlon, but they were all too big for what I wanted, just want some little bags for food/drink/repairs.

Also can anyone recommend some lights? Because I had a fun time cycling home in the dark.

The clanking is probably a hurried/badly adjusted front derailleur rubbing the chain (seen the same from Evans & Halfords). Fairly easily resolved, check some Youtube GCN videos, but do it on the weekend and take your time. It might take a couple of hours - be fully prepared to 'start again' with it rather than trying for ages to adjust it the way they've left it. You'll learn a useful skill you'll need in future when adjusting gears & changing cables.

I don't have any experience with panniers, by food I'm assuming you mean a lunchbox for work? A backpack can be a quick & easy short term solution. I'm a pack wearer and have been for several years, but my commutes have been short.

Lights, for starting out anything Leyzne & Cateye are good value & generally robust. USB chargeable every time. If you're commuting under street lights and won't be in total darkness then something 300 lumen or higher should be ok. Complete darkness you're looking at 600/700 lumen minimum. High end lights and riding regularly in darkness (winter commuting) I'm a huge fan of anything Exposure.

 

[BennyC]

Ta, I think it will come with some persuasion, will find out this evening. Tapping in craft knife blades as 'spacers' alternating sides and stacking on top of one another is probably going to be the first angle of attack. Alu fork & tube so not concerned about slicing through carbon

Rubber mallet to the rescue, some forceful taps on top of the steerer tube with the bike in the workstand secured by the rear drop outs

Just as well as my fork is carbon

 

[ChrisD.]

I got a new job around 4 miles from home so I'll be cycling in. I will be getting a small locker where there are showers.

Should I take my office rig in a bag and put on folded clothes, or take clothes in and hang them up in the locker?

The locker is in a changing room so I could imagine work attire might smell a bit if left hung up in a locker.

 

[Saytan]

@Saytan around? Or someone have much knowledge of maintaining freehubs? In my excitement about getting mine apart on the weekend I greased it all with a very fine grease... Freehub is working loads better than before (tinny & crunchy noises) but is now totally silent. STEALTH BOMBING! Feel really weird that things are almost utterly silent when freewheeling, with more noises pedalling. I should've used an oil rather than the grease! Is it fine to just wipe some of the excess grease out of the freehub and apply lube to the pawls, or should I use degreaser to strip it all out and start again?

last freehub I rebuilt was almost completely silent for a good 50 miles or so before gradually returning to its normal noise. It's a traditional method of quietening to bung a bunch of grease in there. I'd say it's normal, certainly on the "novatec type" freehubs that a lot of stuff seems to use now

 

[booyaka]

@Saytan around? Or someone have much knowledge of maintaining freehubs? In my excitement about getting mine apart on the weekend I greased it all with a very fine grease... Freehub is working loads better than before (tinny & crunchy noises) but is now totally silent. STEALTH BOMBING! Feel really weird that things are almost utterly silent when freewheeling, with more noises pedalling. I should've used an oil rather than the grease! Is it fine to just wipe some of the excess grease out of the freehub and apply lube to the pawls, or should I use degreaser to strip it all out and start again?

I would say it's fine - after my hub causing issues at Etape, I stripped it down, replaced the broken pawl spring and greased up. Almost silent after completing it but after about 250/300 miles, the standard ticking is coming back but still very quiet compared to the previous. I would say your fine. No oil!!! always grease!

 

[platypus]

If you haven't seen it already, this is great: http://road.cc/content/news/224472-...ur-de-pharmacy-mockumentary-–-and-its-bonkers.

 

[DEL 707]

The clanking is probably a hurried/badly adjusted front derailleur rubbing the chain

I've tried following some guides, but the derailleur doesn't seem to move at all.
Think I might just throw in the towel on this 1, local bike shops quoted me £15 to sort it out.

 

[SoliD]

Hey, we got 19 degree's today!
Touch and myself were racing yesterday and it was pretty naff weather.... Yet my arms are a bright shade of red and I have a tan (burn) lines now So the UV levels must have been level 1 or maybe even more! Also known as "Scottish skin destroying level" which is essentially the level reached at any point when the glowy sky thing is visible.

19!!! Balmy, guessing it's toasty bit more north than me today! Legs are slowly coming back to life today, but still feel bit drained.

 

[GSVBagpuss]

The only good thing about this weather is how easily tyres come off! I think they were in need of a change....

 

[Roady]

I've tried following some guides, but the derailleur doesn't seem to move at all.
Think I might just throw in the towel on this 1, local bike shops quoted me £15 to sort it out.

Not really worth stressing about for that - building a relationship with your LBS is a very valuable thing. Depending how friendly they are you could ask for some tips, or even for them to show you some basic maintenance tweaks/tricks. Most will realise they can't compete with places like Decathlon/Evans/Halfords on 'new off the shelf basic bike' prices, but they can pick up easy money from servicing them and looking after customers (who then get hooked to cycling and want to buy a premium bike from them).

19!!! Balmy, guessing it's toasty bit more north than me today! Legs are slowly coming back to life today, but still feel bit drained.

30-31 degrees here today, hottest part of the day is 4pm-6pm and I've said to my mate I'll go for a ride after work tonight... GULP! Was hot enough at lunchtime (28-29 degrees) but there are more winds around than yesterday. Taking 2 800ml bottles with me later on our usual ~30 mile loop (which I normally wouldn't finish even 1 on).

The only good thing about this weather is how easily tyres come off! I think they were in need of a change....

Spoiler

They didn't look that bad, the surfaces of GP4000Sii's do tend to crack like that but I've not known it to cause any issues. Your rims braking surface is more concerning! Hope the dirt is just making it look worse!

last freehub I rebuilt was almost completely silent for a good 50 miles or so before gradually returning to its normal noise. It's a traditional method of quietening to bung a bunch of grease in there. I'd say it's normal, certainly on the "novatec type" freehubs that a lot of stuff seems to use now

Yeah, I know it's fine (can listen & hear it, just very quietly!). I just miss it as I do like a clicky freehub/swarm of bees!

Always found conflicting info about using a light grease or a light oil. Think different hub manufacturers even recommend one or the other? I know DT (or was it Zipp) recommend their own special grease. Most of the GCN videos say to use a chain lube, I'd be tempted by one of the thicker ones, like finish line green, rather than a really light 'dry' lube like the red...

 

[GSVBagpuss]

They didn't look that bad, the surfaces of GP4000Sii's do tend to crack like that but I've not known it to cause any issues. Your rims braking surface is more concerning! Hope the dirt is just making it look worse!
.

Bike does need a clean!

 

[kiteloopy]

If you haven't seen it already, this is great: http://road.cc/content/news/224472-video-new-trailer-released-tour-de-pharmacy-mockumentary-–-and-its-bonkers.

hHAHA. Looks great! that Goldblum quote.

 

[Vonhelmet]

Woohoo, bit of a bonus at work, so I can get hold of an elemnt bolt sooner than planned. Hurrah! Roll on next month...

 

[Shadowness]

Well that chain gang was a tad warm! Not too many people out either......

Even hotter tomorrow apparently too