Road Cycling
- Thread starter FrenchTart
- Start date
Bought this for 599, what do you guys reckon? Good buy?
http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/road-bikes/13-intuition-alpha-road-bike-2015
http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/road-bikes/13-intuition-alpha-road-bike-2015
- Joined
- 16 May 2005
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- 31,297
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- Manchester
Thanks everyone. Will post more later or tomorrow but it was "fun". Worst weather I've ever seen. Penultimate stage knackered by people exclesioring off and ignoring the pace riders. Broke the fast group peleton apart.
Also would've finished in top 15 but one of our group's RD exploded and we waited for him to convert his bike to single speed...
Also would've finished in top 15 but one of our group's RD exploded and we waited for him to convert his bike to single speed...
100 mile sportive done today, pancake flat and windy so it was a real grit your teeth and grind it out sort of ride. We lost a rider this time after he lost his lunch and decided to divert to the 75 instead so that was a shame but still a good achievement for him when he was clearly struggling.
My biggest stress of the day was batteries. I'd decided I needed to top up my Garmin as it was 'only' on 94% so I stuck it on my phone charger overnight. Rolling up to the start I realised I hadn't switched it on, pressed the button and nothing. Much button mashing and it finally switched on showing 2 bars of battery. Must have crashed or something, it did it the last time I charged it that way as well so it is back to just leaving it plugged in after uploading. Fired up the Strava app on my iPhone but I'd used that as a sat nav to get me to the venue so that was touch and go as well
Garmin held out though with 4% left in the tank when I plugged it back in. Interestingly I'd ridden over a mile more according to the app...
I'm pleased I did it as my goal this year was to work up to a 50 mile sportive and I've just done my second 100 so I'm chuffed with my progress. Still not sure if I'd do another one despite this one being much better (parking, food included, finishers medal I'll actually keep etc.) unless it offered something special such as closed roads or the opportunity to ride somewhere I wouldn't normally be able to.
My biggest stress of the day was batteries. I'd decided I needed to top up my Garmin as it was 'only' on 94% so I stuck it on my phone charger overnight. Rolling up to the start I realised I hadn't switched it on, pressed the button and nothing. Much button mashing and it finally switched on showing 2 bars of battery. Must have crashed or something, it did it the last time I charged it that way as well so it is back to just leaving it plugged in after uploading. Fired up the Strava app on my iPhone but I'd used that as a sat nav to get me to the venue so that was touch and go as well
Garmin held out though with 4% left in the tank when I plugged it back in. Interestingly I'd ridden over a mile more according to the app...I'm pleased I did it as my goal this year was to work up to a 50 mile sportive and I've just done my second 100 so I'm chuffed with my progress. Still not sure if I'd do another one despite this one being much better (parking, food included, finishers medal I'll actually keep etc.) unless it offered something special such as closed roads or the opportunity to ride somewhere I wouldn't normally be able to.
You didn't miss much, Col du Mellor is a sod
It was more I couldn't be bothered to spend another hour on the bike and end up potentially soaking wet risking being unwell for next week and missing good bank holiday weather, for a climb that is mediocre at best
My rear gears are sticking... It's 5800 with its polymer coated cables and I've read of people having difficulties with the polymer costing gunking up and making things stick. What sort of inner cable should I pick up to replace the cable with? It only went on back in March, so it's not a great result, I have to say.
This or This
I've heard similar but no experience myself.
I've not actually used these for very long but haven't had any issues with the Transfil cables so far. After a few months I converted that bike for TT so 2 months isn't really long enough to cast opinion.
Difference between the two is hardly huge so staying with Shimano won't cost you much more
Well, I got out for 24 horrible wet dark miles this evening. I took my winter bike, which I've not ridden since I shifted the tiagra kit onto it after upgrading the summer bike to 105. The bike worked fine, though the long drop calipers, the only bit that didn't get upgraded, are still as crap as ever.
I think this is my annual watershed ride, where I go out one evening thinking its summer and soon find myself in the pitch black. Evening rides are done. Rubbish.
I think this is my annual watershed ride, where I go out one evening thinking its summer and soon find myself in the pitch black. Evening rides are done. Rubbish.
I'm tempted to pick up some uber lights and just keep on riding this year. In fact the plan is to get something from Busch and Muller or the likes and run it alongside a light up the whole planet trail light. Most of my riding is on country lanes that don't see any traffic and if a car does come along I can just kill the blinder and still have a decent light. This will probably last as long as it takes for a full speed pot hole hit like last year
The alternative though is Zwift and the turbo... 
Thinking about my sportive again, I was shocked at the number of mechanicals I saw. Shed loads of punctures right from the off, maybe not so surprising as we set off on wet country lanes that looked like they last saw a car in the 20th century plus a couple of small gravel sections. What was more of a shock was a load of snapped chains and a couple of derailleurs seemingly just falling off
Pretty dismal weather for this one today, so the views from the top of Bwlch y Groes were pretty much non-existent. Must have been raining hell of a lot in that part of the world recently considering how much water was gushing down streams, rivers, roads etc.
On the plus side I managed to do the full climb this time after panting to a halt at the crossroads on my first attempt last year.
https://www.strava.com/activities/684062094
On the plus side I managed to do the full climb this time
after panting to a halt at the crossroads on my first attempt last year.https://www.strava.com/activities/684062094
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Well done if you sorted it all! Quite a steep learning curve, but once you've done it once then you'll find it loads easier all the next times! Congrats, you can now index gears - a skill only around 30% of cyclists seem to have...
SPOKES!Finally got my cycle scheme bike through:
Looks fun!
Hadn't heard of this, fantastic news! But damn that price...
Hope you had a good week!
Good deal, love my 2016 Diverge I picked up a month ago!
Don
- Joined
- 20 Oct 2002
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- 17,052
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- In a house
Was late for work this morning, and as a result set a load of new PBs and overall fastest time/average speed for my commute
#silverlining
#silverlining
Well done if you sorted it all! Quite a steep learning curve, but once you've done it once then you'll find it loads easier all the next times! Congrats, you can now index gears - a skill only around 30% of cyclists seem to have...
I think I properly got the hang of this over last night and this morning too. Changed chain and finally got rear derailleur to use my 32 cog... then changed cable on FD as it was 6200miles old and mech was rubbing in higher gears.
Put a SRAM PC1130 on and it looks like bike shop that installed my Ultegra chain actually used a SRAM powerlink to fit it instead of Shimano's joining pin anyway.
Looks like my RD barrel adjuster thread on the RD itself got threaded at some point so very little movement available there.
Not sure how I lived without a workstand before... so handy!
mine did the same! first snapped in the brifter then started sticking with new cable! couldn't figure out what was the issue at first.
got some jagwire stuff as that has always worked well for me and it's smooth as butter now.
Finished off fitting my guards on saturday, SKS Chromoplastics 'Narrow' (35mm Width 700x20-28). Clearance over the 25x28mm Roubaix tyres and the 28mm Pro4E's I also fitted. Might even try 32mm Pro4's/GP4 Seasons next.
Rear went on well, just had to remove 2 rivets to remove the L bracket & fitted to frame mount points (at seatstays & bb), very firm (for a nice quiet guard!). Had to drilled out a couple of the holes larger and fitted guard with bolts, washers and spacers (used some old plastic nuts from crud guards & drilled them out).
Front was more tricky, easy fit into the frame mount inside the forks (with similar fittings to the rear), need to add some rubber to dampen some of the vibration. The stays which came with the Chromo's were not long enough to fit to the frame mount points (and I had big problems fitting the Spesh mounts - lugs not long enough for the grubs to grab!). I had some spare stays left over from some Giant guards which were the same width, but due to where the frame mounts were placed (other side of the thru-axle) I couldn't use 2 stays each side. Cut them down as 1 half of each stay had an extra bend near the mounting point (due to being a double stay) which helped them avoid the thru-axle, without me having to bend them manually to shape. Will be tweaked closer and adding some dampening.
Just enough clearance to go under the thru-axle handle too (even with my spacers to protect the frame)!
Did notice something 'odd'... My FD hits my frame! If I tweak the limit screw to stop it then I get some serious chain rub. Tweaked the angle of the FD to avoid the worst of it, but still not totally clear. What's best to protect the frame here guys? would some cut innertube suffice with some doublesided tape? Really odd as it's obviously a bit of a design flaw?!
Rear went on well, just had to remove 2 rivets to remove the L bracket & fitted to frame mount points (at seatstays & bb), very firm (for a nice quiet guard!). Had to drilled out a couple of the holes larger and fitted guard with bolts, washers and spacers (used some old plastic nuts from crud guards & drilled them out).
Front was more tricky, easy fit into the frame mount inside the forks (with similar fittings to the rear), need to add some rubber to dampen some of the vibration. The stays which came with the Chromo's were not long enough to fit to the frame mount points (and I had big problems fitting the Spesh mounts - lugs not long enough for the grubs to grab!). I had some spare stays left over from some Giant guards which were the same width, but due to where the frame mounts were placed (other side of the thru-axle) I couldn't use 2 stays each side. Cut them down as 1 half of each stay had an extra bend near the mounting point (due to being a double stay) which helped them avoid the thru-axle, without me having to bend them manually to shape. Will be tweaked closer and adding some dampening.
Just enough clearance to go under the thru-axle handle too (even with my spacers to protect the frame)!
Did notice something 'odd'... My FD hits my frame! If I tweak the limit screw to stop it then I get some serious chain rub. Tweaked the angle of the FD to avoid the worst of it, but still not totally clear. What's best to protect the frame here guys? would some cut innertube suffice with some doublesided tape? Really odd as it's obviously a bit of a design flaw?!
Haha love the last one! Gimmie a holla when you've got the Trade team listed, would love it in Blue!Three new short sleeves, one is my favourite...
Bought the Team Trade one as I bought it originally in large last year
http://www.rapha.cc/gb/en/shop/trade-team-jersey---yellow/product/TTJ03O
http://www.rapha.cc/gb/en/shop/men's-canyon-sram-core-jersey/product/CSE01
http://www.scimitarshop.co.uk/cycling/retro-mens-cycling-jerseys/mr-grumpy-cycling-jersey
I can wait for the last one to arrive.
Ok setup, bit overpriced for what it is - an unknown brand of unknown quality carbon with a part unbranded groupset. You could've got more for your money at another bike shop with one of the more popular brands alu frames. Or even a Boardman (which I'm sure Halfrauds sell)!
Supreme effort mate, well done! Shame about your Garmin, ELEMNT soon?
Looks fairly miserable weather mate, but good effort regardless! Burger looks awesome!
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Forgive my naivety but does this cause notable issues?
I removed a link from my 105 chain and rejoined using a SRAM quick link, just like I had on my Ultegra chain on my other bike a few months before. Couldn't see any issues on the chain-rings or cassette (skipping/rising).
Forgive my naivety but does this cause notable issues?
I removed a link from my 105 chain and rejoined using a SRAM quick link, just like I had on my Ultegra chain on my other bike a few months before. Couldn't see any issues on the chain-rings or cassette (skipping/rising).
No, they're all same size. I never use the shimano joining pins. Too much of a faf and no benefit. quicklinks just make everything easier.