Road Cycling

[Roady]

Nope, sorry, just 'because they're Italian' is not a valid excuse.

Yes they're a good/great team.

Yes the kit/bike combo almost works together and looks 'uniform' (the rims on the bike).

But the bike frame design, decals and colour is still the only acceptable one of the combo.

It's like when Kristoff and Blythe have worn white shorts as part of European and British champion colours. They didn't look particularly bad, but White shorts is just No.

Even Van Der Poel smashing everyone at Tour of Flanders couldn't carry it off.

Look how much better Trentin looks/looked with Black shorts.

 

[SoliD]

Can anyone find me a carbon road frame in medium/54ish cm for normal rim brakes with qr. My Ridley is getting to the point where its pretty knackered (worn rear dropouts), so I'm thinking of getting something cheap temporarily for the summer before potentially replacing.

Just want to keep cost low and swap components over (ultegra mechanical everything). Does anything exist or has anyone seen anything good for less than 300? I would go second hand if there's something good.

 

[xdcx]

Nope, sorry, just 'because they're Italian' is not a valid excuse.

Yes they're a good/great team.

Yes the kit/bike combo almost works together and looks 'uniform' (the rims on the bike).

But the bike frame design, decals and colour is still the only acceptable one of the combo.

It's like when Kristoff and Blythe have worn white shorts as part of European and British champion colours. They didn't look particularly bad, but White shorts is just No.

Even Van Der Poel smashing everyone at Tour of Flanders couldn't carry it off.

Look how much better Trentin looks/looked with Black shorts.

You are breaking Italian law. You're also wrong!

But correct on white shorts. Always illegal.
Blythe lost all respect in that article I read where he was pro white shorts, forehead gap AND sleeveless jerseys. He should be flung out.

VdP is beyond dreamy. An elite specimen of a man. Still needs white shorts to GTFO.

 

[Shimmyhill]

I had my first club ride on Thursday (we got recruited at the side of the road while out with a mate on the Tuesday) and really enjoyed it, 34 miles at 18.5 average and I felt it as I ride with a chap who is a fair bit slower than that (15-16mph) but I really enjoyed it and being in a chain gang was great fun - I will be putting some Zwift work in at higher speed over the predicted bad weather spell we have coming up!

Does anyone here have a Wahoo roam as yet? I want to defect from Garmin and while the bolt is the sensible option the roam appeals being the newest and shiniest!

 

[Jonny ///M]

https://www.strava.com/activities/2512188612/overview Crap!

Still had a few groups on the road behind us but about 7 minutes down on the winning break. Savage riding 234 races.

Don't think I could have went much harder on the climb, I was off the main group(if you can call it that haha) and had groups behind so had zero shelter. Smashed the descent though, 3rd on Strava today, but not enough to bring the gap down Totally winded myself after that but got myself together after a few miles.

In the last couple of miles there were only 3 of us working out of a bout 12(we picked up about 4 riders) so I let a gap go to about 10s , took people off the wheel of the main worker, tried to sprint back across but died. The other guy who was working managed to get across so I was a bit embarrassed Check out the flyby for the lolzzzzz at about 1:27pm or so.

 

[Jobe]

Anyone upgraded to Di2?
I have Ultegra and see the kit is around a grand. Really fancy this as my next upgrade and wondered how easy it is.
Also is the bar end upgrade thingy ( sry for being vague) that negates the joint wirthwhile?
Also anyone used vanillabikes.com? It’s where I’ve seen the kit.
JB

 

[Shadowness]

@Jobe Get eTap. None of this ancient rubbish that still uses cables!!

 

[xdcx]

https://www.strava.com/activities/2512188612/overview Crap!

Still had a few groups on the road behind us but about 7 minutes down on the winning break. Savage riding 234 races.

Don't think I could have went much harder on the climb, I was off the main group(if you can call it that haha) and had groups behind so had zero shelter. Smashed the descent though, 3rd on Strava today, but not enough to bring the gap down Totally winded myself after that but got myself together after a few miles.

In the last couple of miles there were only 3 of us working out of a bout 12(we picked up about 4 riders) so I let a gap go to about 10s , took people off the wheel of the main worker, tried to sprint back across but died. The other guy who was working managed to get across so I was a bit embarrassed Check out the flyby for the lolzzzzz at about 1:27pm or so.

Top effort though buddy. Sam Rob is a belter of a race.
I am kicking myself for not heading down. I done some utter **** 3/4 up here that was pan flat. 4th time I have done it and every time I question why I bother.... it's because it's 50mins away instead of 3 hours so it's my own laziness with the travelling. Sam Rob suits me down to ground and I never go down to it. Muppet.

I seen the photo's on Dukes and it was just in absolute pieces awesome.
Stick with 234's. 3/4's are just mince, honestly. What's next for you?

 

[Jonny ///M]

Yeah it was a proper plane crash on the dukes haha.

Davie G and another two were off from the gun so chasing to the dukes were they had 1m30s, I moved up to quite near the front but went too deep(for me) at the start and ended up in no mans land between the group behind me and the front groups.

On the descent I'm chasing the group, the group are chasing a group who are chasing the break so no chance.

I was planning on doing the delay day gallop but it's cancelled so maybe the New Abbey TLI near Dumfries on the 4th August and want to be going well for the Glenmarnock in September. My mate's doing the IVY 234 on Saturday which is one lap of the lake circuit + a few of the braes.

I'd love to do more 34 races as it's my level but there is a lack of them and they are really just big bunches going round and round until the sprint.(and crashfests)

I felt a lot more composed in an 80 man field, able to move up places and hold my place better whilst not being in the red enough to watch for potential splits and moving up before they become too big.

Your race looks pretty quick even for a flat circuit, how did you get on?

 

[Jobe]

@Jobe Get eTap. None of this ancient rubbish that still uses cables!!

Is it any better than ultegra?
Is the only real difference wireless?

 

[Jonny ///M]

Etap is neat but I'd say the shift isn't as refined as any Di2.

Di2 with the bar end charging port requires the bars to have holes in them or drill them yourself.

Usually need to source grommets and bungs to fill holes that removing cable guides leave.

 

[TheBrooder]

Ordered the RC520, the canyon dates coincided with my upcoming holiday and I didn't want to wait any longer so I went for the Triban. I'll either sell it next year or convert it to a gravel and get an endurace AL 7/8 disc or a CF SL 7/8 disc.

I've convinced myself I should earn a better bike through pain, sweat and probably tears. Hope the Triban is easier on climbs than my mountain bike (canyon full sus).

 

[Shadowness]

Is it any better than ultegra?
Is the only real difference wireless?

I have eTap and Dura Ace Di2. I will admit the Di2 is a sharper at gear changes, but that hardly means the eTap is slow by any means. Us mortals wouldn't really notice a huge difference, or even care.

I prefer eTap as it's a doddle to install and setup, and you don't have to worry about fitting batteries in frames and charge points. The fact I have to take my TT bike near a mains socket is a bit of a pain sometimes!

And I guy on our club ride at the weekend forgot to charge his Di2 and was buggered halfway around. I did that once, but I just swapped the batteries over and I have a rear mech again

 

[Jobe]

Thanks fellas
Just been quoted £1600 for the Di2 upgrade from my LBS which seems a joke.
Vanilla bikes have the parts for £1000 so seems they are having my leg a bit

 

[xdcx]

Yeah it was a proper plane crash on the dukes haha.

Davie G and another two were off from the gun so chasing to the dukes were they had 1m30s, I moved up to quite near the front but went too deep(for me) at the start and ended up in no mans land between the group behind me and the front groups.

On the descent I'm chasing the group, the group are chasing a group who are chasing the break so no chance.

I was planning on doing the delay day gallop but it's cancelled so maybe the New Abbey TLI near Dumfries on the 4th August and want to be going well for the Glenmarnock in September. My mate's doing the IVY 234 on Saturday which is one lap of the lake circuit + a few of the braes.

I'd love to do more 34 races as it's my level but there is a lack of them and they are really just big bunches going round and round until the sprint.(and crashfests)

I felt a lot more composed in an 80 man field, able to move up places and hold my place better whilst not being in the red enough to watch for potential splits and moving up before they become too big.

Your race looks pretty quick even for a flat circuit, how did you get on?

All of man will struggle to catch DG with that aero catastrophe of his....
I dunno man, 3/4 may seem more your level on paper but reality is they are as you say, parades for a sprint/crashes or a break happens and nobody can chase. With 1/2's in there I find the racing, yeah it is harder, but it's steadier and actually tolerable. Sam Rob is just a different case all together due to the climbing. Not many races about have much climbing like that. The races I enjoy the most are the mid-week Aberdeen races. They are damn hard, E1234 and short. So it goes quickly and it's just solid racing with no BS. Yet at same time it's actually more relaxed and friendly in general. I'd race elites and 1's and have my legs ripped off all day than sit in with a sketch 3/4 bunch

I was off front a few times but it's so flat and exposed that nothing was going. I got a good 15-20s gap maybe on one attempt. Sitting 360-400w into a headwind and they managed to just ride over to me when they felt like it..... Chased down every time by lads from my previous club. Who then started shouting and moaning when other folk wouldn't help them chase down stuff they missed (even though there was 5+ of them!!). Think I was 18th or something like that, just rode in with the bunch as the heroes done their "sprint" for 8th place etc. Not interested.

 

[xdcx]

@Jobe - Vanilla Bikes are super nice. I believe they are a man and wife setup. Spoke to each of them personally in the past and have placed plenty of orders with them including one for eTap. Totally recommended from me if you are on the fence about ordering from them. Top service.

 

[Roady]

Blythe lost all respect in that article I read where he was pro white shorts, forehead gap AND sleeveless jerseys. He should be flung out.

Said article - https://rouleur.cc/editorial/adam-blythe-best-worst-pro-cycling-kits/ ???

To be fair he wasn't advocating the forehead gap (actually against it) and I slightly disagree with their editor including a pic of Cav in there. Sprinters/speedsters have an aero excuse for losing the gap... But I think like sock length there needs to be an understanding of how much is acceptable. Too much looks equally bad and is symptomatic of a poorly fitting helmet...

Don't think sleeveless jerseys are mentioned in that article though so don't think it was a Blythe one?

Although the Italian jersey Rouleur originally ******* about and Blythe ******* back a response (think that's the right modern terminology?) is gash. Blythe is wrong. Style that bad (its loads worse than Wilier) is totally unacceptable now we have full colour HD television/streaming services. I do totally agree with his principle that there's no flamboyancy anymore, no individulality, all in black and all 'part of the Rapha Cycling Club'. His quote is bang on the money:

“You see the odd jersey, like the [Chazal] one I tweeted about (above), where there’s nothing wrong with it. It’s perfect, it’d look brilliant in Italy, it’s only ‘cos in England everyone has to wear black or block colours.


“Which I think is lovely, but there’s no flamboyancy any more, is there? No-one has an individual character, they all look like everyone’s part of the Rapha Cycling Club.”

I had my first club ride on Thursday (we got recruited at the side of the road while out with a mate on the Tuesday) and really enjoyed it, 34 miles at 18.5 average and I felt it as I ride with a chap who is a fair bit slower than that (15-16mph) but I really enjoyed it and being in a chain gang was great fun - I will be putting some Zwift work in at higher speed over the predicted bad weather spell we have coming up!

Does anyone here have a Wahoo roam as yet? I want to defect from Garmin and while the bolt is the sensible option the roam appeals being the newest and shiniest!

So many people ride with the BOLT now, for general club riders when they talk about 'their wahoo' that's generally the device they mean. I've actually been asked twice in the last couple of months if my original ELEMNT is 'the new one'. Nobody has really been that interested in it the last 1.5 years...

Good work on your group ride, hardly surprising you felt it, the increase up from 15/16 to 18/19 is quite a large one! Nice big group on a flat course like that really helps. Keep it up! A more rolling course/smaller groups/more winds you'll notice it even more! Zwift work at higher speeds can only help with a small part of that!

In the last couple of miles there were only 3 of us working out of a bout 12(we picked up about 4 riders) so I let a gap go to about 10s , took people off the wheel of the main worker, tried to sprint back across but died. The other guy who was working managed to get across so I was a bit embarrassed Check out the flyby for the lolzzzzz at about 1:27pm or so.

Fantastic ride/race mate. Supreme riding and effort! That avg power ooooosh! How are the legs now?

Anyone upgraded to Di2?
I have Ultegra and see the kit is around a grand. Really fancy this as my next upgrade and wondered how easy it is.

Bear in mind that the only bit the same between Ultegra and Ultegra DI2 is the crankset and brakes... So you're quite right about deciding early on if you want to go electronic! Some brands do 'electronic only' framesets, but your general mechanical frameset will be electronic compatible providing it's internally routed cabling - it'll just have a few extra holes (the electronic frames have smaller/less holes so you'll struggle to route mechanical cables with them).

Buying the kit is only part of the puzzle. Fitting to frame and getting all the right required bits is another part...

Hope the Triban is easier on climbs than my mountain bike (canyon full sus).

Any road bike will be easier to climb mountains, than a mountain bike.

Spoiler

Looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool

To avoid being lynched - I mean on tarmac'd roads!

 

[xdcx]

Said article - https://rouleur.cc/editorial/adam-blythe-best-worst-pro-cycling-kits/ ???

To be fair he wasn't advocating the forehead gap (actually against it) and I slightly disagree with their editor including a pic of Cav in there. Sprinters/speedsters have an aero excuse for losing the gap... But I think like sock length there needs to be an understanding of how much is acceptable. Too much looks equally bad and is symptomatic of a poorly fitting helmet...

Don't think sleeveless jerseys are mentioned in that article though so don't think it was a Blythe one?

Although the Italian jersey Rouleur originally ******* about and Blythe ******* back a response (think that's the right modern terminology?) is gash. Blythe is wrong. Style that bad (its loads worse than Wilier) is totally unacceptable now we have full colour HD television/streaming services. I do totally agree with his principle that there's no flamboyancy anymore, no individulality, all in black and all 'part of the Rapha Cycling Club'. His quote is bang on the money:

Different article I think. Possibly. It was a lot newer than that one but I would be lying if I said I could remember which site it was on etc. Sorry!
Although a load of that article does read very familiar to me.... Really not sure. But I 100% read something of similar from Blythe and he mentioned how tan lines look daft and sleeveless jerseys were the answer. Ridiculous. Almost as ridiculous as my memory of cycling articles?

The irony of that quote and your thoughts though is that EF have a pretty damn out there and flamboyant kit this year.... and it is Rapha! Same can be aid for the Canyon SRAM women's team, the kit last year and their new kit I think is seriously cool. And you know I bloody hate Rapha ****. So says it all!
not all about being out there as much as possible. Like the Mapei kit. Mental and iconic but take the Flandria Mars kit for another example. Super cool still but it was very, very plain in the grand scheme of things. I think a lot of it is to do with the riders of the time and the era. We have seen some set in stone historically men of recent years. Boonen, Cancellara, Sagan to name very recents. But we won't be looking back at their super slick iconic team kits at all like we do with Molteni as example.

 

[Shamrock]

Mountain bikers don't climb mountains. They get ski lifts.

 

[Jobe]

@xdcx @Roady
Thanks guys. Just the sort of info I was after although sounds like fitting it myself may be too difficult although you never learn unless you do it. I did see the upgrade kit was only certain things but thanks anyway.
Decisions, decisions.