Road Cycling

[Shamrock]

After being indecisive for so long I've finally pulled the trigger on a bike cam for my commute. Sports Pursuit have the Fly12 for £180 including the normally extra dual computer/cam mount. Seems reasonable since Amazon and Wiggle have just the Fly12 at £219.

Time to become the vigilante bike hero this city deserves!

 

[randomshenans]

NEW SHOES!

SEXXXXY!

 

[UTmaniac]

But if you have an accident, the other party can point at your shoes and say they didn't see you, due to camouflage.

 

[randomshenans]

Haha
They're like the most conflicted camouflage ever as the white bits are reflective, so glow like mad. Identity crisis shoes.

 

[Roady]

And callipers!

I'd never fit a 28mm tyre through under my front caliper. It's ridiculously tight as it is with a 25mm tyre. :/

Sheeeesh, just run discs already, none of these problems!

I ran my 25mm Grand Sport Race at ~75PSI on the front after my scary but lucky understeer washout on my first trip to the Petersfield cat3, that happened while running ~88 front and ~98 rear iirc. After that spill, I also reduced the rear 25mm to ~92.

I still find that very low, I ran my 25mm's only at 90/95PSI when first starting out. I soon figured that 80/85 was loads more comfortable and didn't sacrifice any noticeable speed. I think I did drop winter tyres (GP 4Seasons) down a little but I found anything as low as 70 on the rear increased pinch punctures dramatically. I was ~80-85kg at the time with probably ~5kg backpack commuting. You're obviously having more luck than me!

Ok I've sized up the 28mm tyres and tbh I don't like the look of it at all - they clear but it's all too tight for my liking and I don't want any risk of rubbing or jamming, the tyres will be going onto Ebay, I've got no comfort complaints on the 25mm's anyway.

How tight?

Mudguard & caliper clearances where so tight on my Giant Defy 1 2015 there was only around 3-4mm at the rear on 25mm tyres (it came with 23mms). I started a Sportive from a local playing field with freshly cut grass and had to stop 1/4 mile later as the grass had collected at the chainstay bridge and was locking the rear wheel. Rode it like that for several years without issues other than the occasional leaf which would stick in there when blown by the wind or a stick/twig kicked up from the road.

 

[Roady]

After being indecisive for so long I've finally pulled the trigger on a bike cam for my commute. Sports Pursuit have the Fly12 for £180 including the normally extra dual computer/cam mount. Seems reasonable since Amazon and Wiggle have just the Fly12 at £219.

Time to become the vigilante bike hero this city deserves!

Through great power comes great responsibility!

I've always thought the Fly12 as athough neat, is too expensive. It's a below par light with an average camera. My VIRB v1 is older, same quality recording (1080p & eco mode 720p), with longer battery life (5-6 hours & replaceable batteries) and only cost me £72 in a black friday deal back in 2015. The FLY12 only has it's '10 hours battery life' if you run it on 720p without the light operating. I'm expecting its day to day life is comparable to the VIRB at 4-5 hours (1080p & some light)?

It's a great concept and neat unit, but 400 lumen is too low and battery technology just isn't advanced enough for a decent light & camera combo with decent battery life. You're better off buying a VIRB if you want a 'cycling specific' camera. But lets be honest the cycling metrics/features although neat, are not really safety orientated.

For me the Gopro session is a much better unit, battery life is pretty low but otherwise it's superbly small, light & decent camera. I'd own one if my VIRB wasn't still going (quite surprising it's still alive the amount of work & abuse it's had).

NEW SHOES!

SEXXXXY!

Where?

Identity crisis shoes.

 

[Shamrock]

I think it will do the job. The camera footage looks okay to me and 400lm is plenty bright for cycling in Central London. My commute is only 30mins each way so battery life with light and camera on should be acceptable.

 

[Roady]

It's low light and poor weather conditions which will really tell how good it is.

Ideally you need to still be able to pick up numberplates at night in the rain, without that it just becomes a fair weather & daytime safety unit (pretty pointless when commuting all weathers!). My VIRB does struggle in heavy rain/spray but is good at night time, mostly due to me having fairly good lights (so it picks up plates).

The perfect cycling light for me would have PIR on it to pick out numberplates in any conditions (being therefore non light dependant) but not seen one yet!

As with anything like this, current battery technology seems to be one of the main limiting factors.

 

[topgun06]

Coming here for a rant and for sympathy.

Just been rushing my ass off to get ready to shoot out on my bike for a few miles. Bike out, tyres pumped, lights on, kit on. I return to my bike and my rear light has died. I only used it for an hour at the weekend!! Backup lights are also flat.

Waste of time. Moan moan moan, rant rant rant.

 

[Roady]

#violins

Turbo instead!

 

[Maxeh]

Or run like me and pick up a new injury each time I go out!

In all seriousness quite enjoying the ease of running as the turbo isn’t always socially acceptable

 

[Lethal`]

This will buff out, right?

 

[merlin]

How the heck have you done that?

 

[Lethal`]

How the heck have you done that?

The tarmac ate me!

 

[merlin]

Just seen on Strava too. Were you pushing your luck somewhat round that bend?

 

[Lethal`]

Just seen on Strava too. Were you pushing your luck somewhat round that bend?

I guess! 22mph or so though I've done it far faster before. Perhaps a little bit of oil. Who knows!

Oh well, seems it is just some road rash, bit of ripped clothing and a broken shifter!

 

[Vonhelmet]

This will buff out, right?

It's a good job that Shimano kit is legendarily easy to source spare parts for and repair...

Oh wait.

 

[Lethal`]

It's a good job that Shimano kit is legendarily easy to source spare parts for and repair...

Oh wait.

Two shifters £195. Ouch.

Fortunately I have a spare one about. Also, it's actually still functioning as both a shifter and a brake... Just it's not securely attached to the bars.

Still.. bring on the n+1. Need a spare bike so I can just continue riding while other gets fixed.

 

[Roady]

This will buff out, right?

Ouch! Hope the rash isn't too bad and nothing else comes to light overnight. Heal up! Tape looks intact? Pictures on your strava ride are hilarious!

Two shifters £195. Ouch.

Fortunately I have a spare one about. Also, it's actually still functioning as both a shifter and a brake... Just it's not securely attached to the bars.

Still.. bring on the n+1. Need a spare bike so I can just continue riding while other gets fixed.

Can quite often pick up individual shifters on the 'bay quite easily and certainly more reasonably priced. Left or right?

I enjoyed the tailwind back to work at lunchtime!

Ride home first was brutal though, fingers crossed the winds drop when it gets dark... Need to save some of my legs for the club ride tomorrow morning, my first for 6 weeks!

 

[Shamrock]

Coming a cropper 101