Road Cycling

fez

fez

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Ouch 400quid more, but hopefully will be worth it. I always say the bike fit I had is the best money I've ever spent!

Yeah, its a weird one but people are willing to spend thousands and thousands on gear that doesn't make them any better and they wont spend money on things like lessons and bike fits which will actually make a massive difference to you if you go to someone good.

Going to get some jumping lessons this year and probably a bike fit if I stick at the road cycling over the summer.
 
Soldato
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I don't know, I don't think it's that weird. How will I benefit from £400 on a bike fit? I'm not uncomfortable on my bike. I'm not looking to compete, so performance gain isn't really a reason. I don't have injuries flaring up from all my riding. Serious question, as I've thought about a fit, I just don't think I can get £400 worth of value from it...?
 

fez

fez

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Joined
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Tunbridge Wells
I don't know, I don't think it's that weird. How will I benefit from £400 on a bike fit? I'm not uncomfortable on my bike. I'm not looking to compete, so performance gain isn't really a reason. I don't have injuries flaring up from all my riding. Serious question, as I've thought about a fit, I just don't think I can get £400 worth of value from it...?

I mean, thats a bit like asking "why should I go to see the doctor if I am not unwell". You shouldn't. If you are happy with your current comfort, riding position and don't have any niggles then there probably isn't that much value in it. I would wager that he would still make some changes that improve certain areas but I would probably feel better if I had daily massages. I don't need them in any way shape or form.

There are a lot of people who do have issues with their bike fit and comfort and thats where a bike fit comes in.

I sit at a desk for 10 hours plus a day at the moment which causes quite a lot of issues. I am very active which offsets that a bit but the issues are still there. Most people aren't perfectly functional, have oddities to them or old injuries that impact their movement.

I think the point is more that people will spend £3000 on a bike, £500 on some power meter pedals but they won't drop £400 to actually make their riding more comfortable or efficient and prevent themselves from probably long term injury.
 
Soldato
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Yeah, I do get your point. If you have issues, why wouldn't you go see someone!? A blanket statement of it's weird people don't spend £400 on something that might not benefit them though... :p

I think availability of them might be a barrier and quality. With your Doctor, there's structure to his training and he passes exams and then gains experience etc. If I wanted a bike fit, I'm not sure where I would start looking... how would I be sure I'm seeing someone that actually knows his stuff etc.
 
Soldato
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I don't know, I don't think it's that weird. How will I benefit from £400 on a bike fit? I'm not uncomfortable on my bike. I'm not looking to compete, so performance gain isn't really a reason. I don't have injuries flaring up from all my riding. Serious question, as I've thought about a fit, I just don't think I can get £400 worth of value from it...?

Why did you spend so much on a bike if you're not racing then and not competing or after performance gain.

I didn't have any major niggles (few bits like sore shoulders on very long rides) at the beginning but I was doing 12-14 hours a week and thought if my undercarriage is going to be in that place for that length of time I want to look after it, but I mainly went for my Time Trial bike. Also I went from doing maybe couple of hours a week on the MTB to that level on a road bike and things show up at the beginning but soon go away. if you've ramped up to that level of cycling or have been riding a long time in a certain way your body will have masked that generally a long time ago.
 
Soldato
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Disc brakes and Di2.

Just ride slower into bends and get a single speed. As you say you struggle to see why you'd spend so much on a bike fit but I'd say 95% of riders will see benefits from a bike fit even if they have no aches and pains now. You don't know how that might develop in the future. Certainly much better than those tyre pressure monitors you spent however much on :D
 
Soldato
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The amount of bikes I work on that have the saddle at a silly angle, bar at silly angles, bikes that are far too big or just wrong is frightening.


The worst one is saddle fully back on the rails, bars angled up to give more height with saddle height being too low.
 
Soldato
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Just ride slower into bends and get a single speed.

Or... don't buy anything and just walk, right? :)

As you say you struggle to see why you'd spend so much on a bike fit

Did I? No, I said I don't think the blanket statement that it's weird people wont spent large amounts of money on a bike fit. I'm really tempted by a bike fit, but as I did actually say, it seems a bit of a minefield finding someone and how much benefit I will actually get is an unknown quantity.

Certainly much better than those tyre pressure monitors you spent however much on :D

In yet they benefit me every single ride... :)
 
Soldato
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Look forward to hearing your thoughts. He seems like a sound lad so might be worth it for the laughs anyway.


My alternative would be Garry Kirk near Glasgow but he's until £300s once you add in shoe fitting.


I feel like I have a leg length difference, right foot gets pinched around the the middle of the outside sticky out bone, persistent saddle sore on left hand side(seems to be much less of an issue on a different saddle) and my left hamstring was in bits after 35 miles the other day. He'll have his work cut out with me :D

I went to Garry Kirk and he is brilliant - I was there for best part of 6 hours, he's got a very dry sense of humour which suits me but I can see him offending the dentists with their s-works super bikes when they have been cycling half a year crowd! I ended up with lake shoes set up properly, a shorter stem, and 155 cranks because I am a bloody awkward shape and the bike was far too big for me. I'd recommend him for sure.
 
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TYRES!
GRAVEL TYRES!
what should I get? looking for something smooth 700c 32-35mm to go on my Tempest.
currently got knoblly ones on there but I'm thinking smooth for the audax as it'll be better weather by then (who am I kidding)
I'd rather not spend a bleeding fortune on the damn things but don't need to have the cheapest option either.
 
Soldato
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TYRES!
GRAVEL TYRES!
what should I get? looking for something smooth 700c 32-35mm to go on my Tempest.
currently got knoblly ones on there but I'm thinking smooth for the audax as it'll be better weather by then (who am I kidding)
I'd rather not spend a bleeding fortune on the damn things but don't need to have the cheapest option either.

Marathon Supreme from Merlin? I've been using a 35mm and 40mm on my commuter over the winter, great for non gnarr mixed surfaces.
 
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Soldato
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We got Alice her bike yesterday. Was just about to pull the trigger on the Ribble and we thought we'd just check ebay for any second hand bikes. Immediately saw one she much preferred (cause pretty colours) and decided to go and pick it up.

D2T3eX7.jpg

Barely been used. She's really happy with it. The wheels are a bit heavy compared to the rest of the bike so when i get my Zipps later in the year, she can have my old ones. She's a few months away from using it as about to drop the baby in the next week or so but once Bambino is here, we can set her up on the turbo trainer and do some gentle riding to get back into things.

Tried Alpe d'zwift on Saturday. That was a painful and humbling experience. took me 88 minutes and 24 seconds. I think I took the first half a bit too easy and spent too much time in the saddle on the whole ride. I wanted to do it under 90 minutes and I suppose I'm happy that I just about beat it but I'm quite disappointed at how long it took me. Can only get faster from here on in though!
 
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It's not fully ultegra but for the price we paid (£900) I don't think that matters really! the chainrings along with the front and rear derailleurs are ultegra. The brake calipers and brake/gear levers are 105 equivalents I think. Either way, it beats the £1800 we were going to pay from Ribble as leaves us with a nice chunk of money and she's able to buy a few other bits like cycling clothes and maybe a computer and be well under what she was about to pay for the bike alone.

Yeah that's the plan. Obviously that wont be until maybe September or even later when we can leave the baby with the grandparents for a morning or even just an hour or two but I'm really looking forward to going out for a ride with her. She got me into riding over the first lockdown and these last few months I've really missed riding with her. She had put down a deposit on a Trek Domane CF (can't remember which model, it had a Tiagra groupset) for £2500 but the day after test riding and putting the deposit down, we found out she was pregnant so had to cancel it. So she has been itching to get back on a bike since last summer really.
 
Soldato
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Might be worth keeping an eye on 4iiii Precision 2 power meter prices, the Precision 3 appears to have been released. Apparently a little shallower, making it now fit some frames previous editions couldn't, plus claimed 800 hours per cr2032 battery.
Really quite tempted... With a dead Precision 1 and now my Stages starting to go a bit erratic...! Especially if 4iiii (still going through troubleshooting) give me a discount or an 'upgrade' option to it...! The S/H 4iiii did a couple of years with me through all weathers, very reliable unit and I'd easily recommend them (and the Stages for that matter).

He'll have his work cut out with me :D
Probably better to send you to the knackers yard and get a new one! ;)

With the shoe/toe issues you have, while working in a shop, I'd have thought you'd have a local fitter known/customer who'd do you a deal?!

Yeah, I do get your point. If you have issues, why wouldn't you go see someone!? A blanket statement of it's weird people don't spend £400 on something that might not benefit them though... :p

I think availability of them might be a barrier and quality. With your Doctor, there's structure to his training and he passes exams and then gains experience etc. If I wanted a bike fit, I'm not sure where I would start looking... how would I be sure I'm seeing someone that actually knows his stuff etc.
There's structure, training and exams/certifications etc for Fitters too. Not to mention really expensive equipment they need to be able to do the job. It's quite a bit 'more' than just sitting on a turbo and having a guy squint at you. But it very much used to be that traditionally - technology and certifications have backed up the science behind it and given it all numbers. But that's nothing to say 'Bob in his garage' can't do a quality fit on someone for £20 as a massive part of it is experience. The same way that Fred with a £5000 RETUL machine charging £500 a hour can't. Certainly the equipment, measuring and 'sports science' around it now it's 'easier' to scientifically measure, quantify and monitor. But it is still fundamentally fitting various variable bodies to fixed 'known' frame sizes and interfaces.

The availability and barrier is a very good point. Go back 10-15 years and unknown Fred with 'all the gear no idea' wouldn't be able to charge £400 for a fit. He just wouldn't get any customers. So many fitters rely on their qualification and name to get enough customers to charge the prices they do, not to mention the equipment and certifications needed. So much of it is 'known' fit methods like RETUL alongside massive amount of 'spreading their name' through the right clubs, channels and shops to get enough customers.

In yet they benefit me every single ride... :)
Debatable, but that's a different argument not worth going into! But it equally could be the same argument over riding Di2 and Discs... ;)

We got Alice her bike yesterday. Was just about to pull the trigger on the Ribble and we thought we'd just check ebay for any second hand bikes. Immediately saw one she much preferred (cause pretty colours) and decided to go and pick it up.

D2T3eX7.jpg

Barely been used. She's really happy with it. The wheels are a bit heavy compared to the rest of the bike so when i get my Zipps later in the year, she can have my old ones. She's a few months away from using it as about to drop the baby in the next week or so but once Bambino is here, we can set her up on the turbo trainer and do some gentle riding to get back into things.

Tried Alpe d'zwift on Saturday. That was a painful and humbling experience. took me 88 minutes and 24 seconds. I think I took the first half a bit too easy and spent too much time in the saddle on the whole ride. I wanted to do it under 90 minutes and I suppose I'm happy that I just about beat it but I'm quite disappointed at how long it took me. Can only get faster from here on in though!
Looks a great setup for that money - congrats on getting a deal! Don't know my Cube's but seen them around a while so think it's a brand I'd generally trust as reliable and although those bright colours are a complete rip of Bianchi Celeste - it still looks AWESOME! (but I would say that). ;)

Good work enabling her to have a great 'target' and something to look forward to. Especially after everything she's going/gone/about to go through - good luck to you both! :D

Good work with AdZ, it's tough and always a good measure of fitness. Even better if you finished it within your target time and still think you went too easy somewhere! It's something I always liked to do as a 'complete' FTP test as a ~60 min effort. But it's so brutal it's not something I've ridden much recently (only done it 6 times total lol) as not really doing any FTP specific training...
 
Soldato
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Debatable, but that's a different argument not worth going into! But it equally could be the same argument over riding Di2 and Discs... ;)

I guarantee you, there is at least once (and usually several times) that I think 'Ohh, that felt a little bouncy', but I glance down and see my tyre pressure is normal, so I relax and enjoy the ride. To me, that's actually worth a lot more than the £100 I paid, to the point where one fell to bits recently and I was thinking I would pay full price to replace them, but then SRAM happily sent me out a free replacement under warranty.

Di2 is simply a quality of ride. It's something I wanted as, again, for me it just means I enjoy the ride more (I haven't ridden my winter bike this winter as I just didn't want to be without Di2). I probably have just about the cheapest bike you can get with Di2, so when saying 'why do I spend so much on a bike' it's fairly relevant, no? :) (Disc is a straight up safety thing, clear stopping power advantage, so again, I wanted it)
 
Soldato
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Wigan
Roady. Buy power2max, be happy and just forget about it ever again.

Mine just work, every time. Changing battery, easy peasy, even on the Type S, long jewellery screwdriver and you can do it on the bike.

I have two, (a type S and an FSA powerbox) both about 2 years old and faultless.
 
Soldato
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I’m a big fan of P2M but also really rate my Favero Assiomas. Can’t go wrong with either. I’ve also used 4iii and Powertap P1s. The P1s were very unreliable and had terrible bearings. The 4iii gave odd readings and I don’t really like single leg systems.

Edit: having said that the only time my P2M has failed was when I did my RRA record last year, so it really picked its moment.
 
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